Francisco Alvarez y Peña - Lawyer at Legal Affairs

Francisco Alvarez y Peña has been working as a lawyer at the Legal Affairs department since September 2024. After graduating from the university, he continued to work at EUR, first as a research lecturer. He then worked as an accountant for a while, after which he returned to EUR as a lawyer.

'The choice to apply to EUR was a logical one for me', says Francisco. 'The university was not unfamiliar territory for me. After studying Law and Private Law at EUR, I immediately started working as a research lecturer at Erasmus School of Law. I enjoyed doing that for three years, until my curiosity about the practice brought me to an accountancy firm, where I started working as an accountant.'

Familiar, vibrant atmosphere

However, he always kept a positive feeling about EUR. So when a vacancy at Legal Affairs came up, Francisco didn't have to think long. 'During my application process, I immediately felt that familiar, vibrant atmosphere of the university again. That, combined with the good working conditions and the social role that the university fulfils, made my choice easy.'

Within Legal Affairs, Francisco works together with his colleague Joost in the "Legal Advice Business Operations" team. 'We advise the Executive Board and the General Administrative Service on private law issues, but we also support the faculties that don't have their own lawyer', he says. 'In addition, we tackle all kinds of legal issues that fall outside the scope of the other legal teams. That makes our work nice and varied: from drawing up regulations and general terms and conditions to quickly responding to short legal questions. No day is the same.' Where necessary, Francisco and Joost also work together with colleagues from other legal specialisms, for example on more complex issues. A challenge at EUR is the size of the organisation. 'To draw up university-wide frameworks, you often have to work with multiple stakeholders. But when you succeed, it is really satisfying.'

'Training, workshops and courses go beyond the content of your own subject'

Francisco thinks the best thing about working at EUR is the versatility. 'The university is much larger and more dynamic than you might think as a student or lecturer. As a result, I come into contact with various areas of law in this position – from private law to education and procurement law – which offers the opportunity to develop myself broadly', says Francisco. 'EUR also actively encourages this, with training, workshops and courses that go beyond just your subject content. That contributes to your growth as a professional. And in addition to work, there is also plenty of room for fun: team outings, lunches and drinks ensure that you get to know your colleagues in an informal way.' 

'Our team regularly plays a role in social projects, for example around sustainability or equal opportunities. We advise on the legal structure and guide negotiations with collaboration partners, such as other universities or organisations. One of the projects we contribute to is Convergence, a collaboration that focuses on positive societal impact. In this way, we contribute, also from our legal expertise, to the mission of EUR: Creating positive societal impact.'