Volunteer Spotlight: Boriana Guimberteau

Boriana Guimberteau is a partner at Stephenson Harwood in Paris, France. She began her career as in-house counsel before moving into private practice and progressing to partnership.

Boriana Guimberteau, Stephenson Harwood (France)

Ms. Guimberteau’s career reflects a belief that professional ambition and a fulfilling personal life can coexist. She has spoken openly about being a lawyer, a partner, and a parent, challenging the perception that success in the legal profession requires putting family or personal aspirations on hold.

For Ms. Guimberteau, sharing that message publicly is important because of the power of hearing that balance is possible, especially for younger lawyers considering how to define success on their own terms. Her own path has taken her from an in-house role into private practice and partnership, a progression she describes as a constant evolution rather than a fixed destination.

Throughout that journey, she has paid close attention to team dynamics and management. She sees the human dimension of legal practice as central not only to strong client service, but also to creating the conditions in which lawyers can find balance, fulfillment, and space to grow.

That same sense of openness and connection drew her to INTA. She was attracted by the opportunity to be part of a truly global community of intellectual property (IP) professionals who care deeply about the evolution of the field. Her first INTA Annual Meeting, in Amsterdam, remains vivid: the scale of the event, the energy, and the sense of belonging to a worldwide trademark community left a lasting impression.

Since then, Ms. Guimberteau has contributed to several INTA committees, including the Brands and Innovation Committee, the Enforcement Committee, the Unreal Campaign Committee, and, currently, the Designs Committee. Each role has given her a different lens through which to understand and contribute to trademark and design protection, from emerging technologies and enforcement challenges to the evolving importance of design rights.

One of her most rewarding volunteer experiences came through the Unreal Campaign, where she spoke directly with French students about counterfeiting, how it works, and the real harm it causes. Those classroom exchanges were meaningful, sometimes challenging, and energizing, reinforcing her belief that education and awareness are important responsibilities for IP professionals.

Being part of INTA has also helped her grow as a lawyer, leader, and person. Committee work has deepened her understanding of IP, while INTA’s collaborative environment has broadened her perspective and introduced her to peers from around the world, many of whom have become close friends she looks forward to seeing each year.

Her advice to anyone considering a first volunteer role is simple: go for it. Volunteering, she says, is one of the best ways to experience the richness of INTA’s global community. Looking back, she wishes she had known from the beginning how collaborative and supportive the environment would be, with people generously sharing their time, knowledge, and perspectives.

Rather than seeing volunteering as an added burden, Ms. Guimberteau views it as a chance to develop new skills, expand a global network, discover new perspectives, and contribute to something larger than day-to-day practice. It is, she says, a place to learn and to make meaningful contributions that help shape the IP landscape.

Outside her professional life, music helps her reset. She plays the piano, an activity that allows her to slow down, focus on the present, and reconnect with something creative. Travel is another source of inspiration, opening her mind to new cultures and perspectives that she finds both personally enriching and professionally valuable.

A little-known fact about Ms. Guimberteau is her passion for learning languages. She has studied several over the years and is currently learning Japanese. For her, entering a new linguistic world sharpens curiosity and is a reminder of the importance of lifelong learning.

That curiosity also shapes the way she travels. During a visit to Kyoto, she once got lost in the backstreets and discovered a tiny, centuries-old tea house, where she spent the afternoon speaking in simple Japanese with the owner and a few locals. The unexpected encounter remains one of her favorite travel memories and a reminder of the joy of stepping off the beaten path.

These experiences—professional, volunteer, and personal—reflect a common thread: curiosity, connection, and a willingness to keep learning. For Ms. Guimberteau, those qualities continue to shape both her legal practice and her contribution to the INTA community.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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