Laetitia Souesme, a partner at White & Case, discusses her move from her native France to London and life at the global firm
For Laetitia Souesme, becoming a partner at a leading global law firm like White & Case represents the culmination of years of hard work, resilience, and a clear passion for law. Specialising in arbitration, she has carved out a successful career, handling complex disputes across a wide range of sectors. Sitting down with Legal Cheek, Souesme discusses her journey, her expertise in arbitration, and offers invaluable advice for those seeking to follow in her footsteps.
“Growing up, I was always fascinated by the English and the American world,” says Souesme. She began her legal career in her native France, where she pursued degrees in both law and languages, specialising in French law and English. From the start, it was clear that she was intrigued by the intersection of languages and law — a dual focus that later proved crucial as she transitioned from French law to the UK legal system. “I initially came to the UK with the idea of staying for just a year,” Souesme recalls, describing her early days as a teaching assistant in UCL’s French department. “What was supposed to be just a year in London turned into something more permanent.”
It didn’t take long for her to decide that the UK was where she wanted to build her career. “I was really interested by the English legal system and took the opportunity to get work experience at law firms,” she explains. This hands-on exposure was instrumental in shaping her path. “I applied and did work placements at a couple of firms here, and that gave me a taster of life in a law firm and how the system works in practice.”
Following these experiences, Souesme chose to formalise her legal career in the UK by pursuing the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Course (LPC). In 2010, she secured a training contract at White & Case, where she has remained ever since. “White & Case has been brilliant in providing opportunities,” she says. “I often get the opportunity to capture work with an element of French civil law, given my background, which is exciting. Though I’m predominantly an English lawyer, having this extra edge, having studied in France, comes in quite useful!
“It’s helpful to understand both the English and French legal systems, especially when working with clients from different cultural backgrounds,” she says. “Each client’s expectations vary, and adapting to them is key.”
Souesme describes arbitration as “a fascinating area,” and for good reason. Arbitration allows for disputes to be resolved outside of the court system, often offering advantages such as confidentiality, enforceability, and a level of neutrality that courts sometimes lack. For commercial parties or state-owned entities involved in international disputes, arbitration provides a flexible, tailored approach to resolving complex legal issues. As Souesme explains, “Arbitration is a system of dispute resolution where parties, through their consent, decide to refer their dispute to a tribunal rather than going through the court system.” One of the key advantages is the ability to choose a neutral tribunal, especially in cross-border disputes. “It can be a middle ground for parties from different countries who don’t want to rely on the courts of either side’s home country,” she adds.
She also highlights the confidentiality that often accompanies arbitration. “Most arbitrations are confidential, unlike court proceedings, which makes it attractive for parties who don’t want their disputes aired publicly.” Additionally, the enforceability of arbitration awards across different jurisdictions is a significant factor for international businesses. “It can be easier to enforce an award in certain countries than a court decision from a particular jurisdiction.”
Souesme’s expertise spans a broad range of arbitration cases. The stakeholders involved in these arbitrations vary from commercial parties to nation states. “I’ve handled disputes in many industries — oil and gas, post-M&A disputes, and even data centres,” she shares. “I also occasionally work on investor treaty arbitration. These typically involve cases where an investor sues a State under an investment treaty signed between the investor’s home country and the host country.” This breadth of experience keeps her work interesting and diverse.
So, what drew Souesme to arbitration as a career? For her, it was the intellectually stimulating nature of the work. “There’s a lot of legal analysis and factual investigation involved,” she says. “It’s nearly like investigative work — you immerse yourself in the documents, pulling everything together to build a case and persuade a tribunal.”
Souesme finds the multi-phase nature of arbitration particularly appealing. “When we go through the different phases of a case, it’s nearly like your job changes,” she notes. “One day, you might be advising on pre-dispute correspondence, and the next, you’re preparing for a hearing or managing document disclosure. Each phase requires different skills, and that variety keeps the work dynamic.” Her cases frequently involve experts from various industries, further enhancing the complexity of arbitration. “We often work with professionals from technical or scientific fields, depending on the nature of the dispute, and that makes every case unique,” she adds.
In the last few years, Souesme has risen to the rank of partner at White & Case, an achievement she regards with both pride and humility. “It’s a big landmark in my career,” she admits, “but it’s something I’ve built towards gradually.” Even before formally becoming a partner, Souesme was already taking on the responsibilities that come with the role — making strategic decisions, advising clients directly, and managing portions of large, high-stakes cases.
“By the time you make partner, you’ve already been functioning as one for a couple of years,” she explains. “You’re running things with limited supervision, making strategic decisions on cases, and advising clients on key issues.” For Souesme, this level of responsibility has been both a challenge and a source of professional growth. “It’s a big responsibility, especially when you’re entrusted with running parts of very large cases. But it’s also incredibly rewarding when you see the results of your work.”
For those entering the legal profession, particularly in the field of arbitration, Souesme offers some valuable advice. “Good trainees aren’t just focused on the task they’ve been assigned—they engage with the whole case,” she stresses. According to Souesme, a standout trainee will be able to anticipate the next steps, ask insightful questions, and develop a deep understanding of the case’s broader context.
Although headquartered in New York, White & Case has a major presence this side of the pond, offering 50 training contracts annually and competing alongside some of the largest UK-based firms. But what does it take to thrive as a trainee in at White & Case? “Don’t just correct typos when proofreading a document — engage with the content,” she advises. “Does it make sense? Are there any substantive comments or questions you should raise with the senior lawyer? Engaging beyond the task at hand is what really makes a trainee stand out.”
Souesme also encourages young lawyers to maintain an open mind as they progress through their careers. “You never know where your career might take you,” she reflects. “I ended up in arbitration, but I had good experiences in other areas too. Sometimes you do an area of law that you didn’t expect to like, and you end up loving it in practice.”
Her advice is to embrace the unexpected. “Keep an open mind during your training contract. You might not get your first preference for every seat, but that’s part of the learning experience. Often, what you think you won’t enjoy turns out to be something you’re really passionate about.”
Laetitia Souesme will be speaking at ‘Understanding the key principles of international arbitration — with White & Case’ a virtual student event taking place on Monday 4 November. Apply now to attend.
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