Career series: Laurie Fitzgerald, Avanci

Laurie Fitzgerald, senior vice president at Avanci, explains why a sense of humour and adventure are crucial ingredients for success.

Tell us about the course of your career.

If someone had told me at my law school graduation that in 20 years’ time, I would be working in technology licensing on another continent, I never would have believed them. At that point I was on my way to a US Federal District Court clerkship, followed by a position as a trial lawyer at a Texas-based litigation firm.

I followed that path, gaining invaluable experience in courtrooms all around the US. About a decade in, as is common among lawyers, I developed a niche and expertise in a particular area of the law.