Vincenza Altieri: A Flourishing International Career
50 Years / 50 Voices: Learning law and changing lives is a commemorative volume marking the 50th anniversary of the ongoing Monash Law Clinical Program, a pioneering initiative in clinical legal education undertaken by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. 50 alumni of the Monash Law Clinical Program shared their story with 50 current students of the same program. This is an excerpt from the book.
Vincenza Altieri was born into humble beginnings. As a child of Italian immigrant parents, she was drawn to the prestige of a legal career. However, law degrees in the late 1980s were not as easily accessible as they are today. Altieri remembers only Monash University and Melbourne University offered law degrees at the time, and both universities were highly selective. Despite the competitive landscape, Altieri was admitted to Monash Law and demonstrated a spirit of perseverance through her studies. This ultimately served her beyond her education as well. Altieri is now a highly successful lawyer in Rome with commercial law and trusts expertise. She recognises the vital role Monash Law Clinics held in beginning and shaping her career.
When Altieri began her placement at Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service (MOLS), she was primarily curious about the practical elements of a career in law. Until then, her studies allowed her to engage in her learning from a purely academic perspective. The matters she worked on at MOLS included real-life motor-vehicle accidents, divorce and wills – all of which were a significant departure from the classroom. Her passion for the law deepened in the clinic and she developed different skills that could not be taught from note-taking in lectures or contributing to classroom discussions in a question and- answer format. Group work that may have initially been rare in her degree was encouraged in the clinic and simulated real-life cooperation with colleagues.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
Altieri worked on a variety of cases under the supervision of Ross Hyams. She initially entered the clinical program hoping to become a criminal or family lawyer. She was able to undertake these types of matters through the clinic, and under Hyams’s guidance, realised that these were areas of law to which she was not best suited. Her passion and connection to clients was too strong, which ultimately meant she would be doing them a disservice. Altieri’s ability to recognise this in herself was not solely due to her experience at the clinic. It speaks to a deeper wisdom and depth of self-reflection.
After graduating from Monash Law, Altieri followed the traditional path to legal practice. She undertook an Articled Clerkship before being admitted to practice in 1993. In the first three years of her career, she worked as a solicitor at Wantrup & Associates, a boutique commercial law firm. This initial career experience was invaluable. It built and marked her professional profile and gave her a methodology for the rest of her life. Here she learned the proper approach to research, drafting, reviewing documents and dealing with clients, colleagues and counterparties.
In 1997, Altieri moved to Italy. She loved the lifestyle, found job opportunities as a bilingual Italian/English speaker and put down roots. Here, her legal career flourished. While practising in Melbourne, Altieri developed a strong knowledge of commercial and property law, having worked mainly in contracts, due diligence and negotiations. She credits this crucible of experience and skills as part of her appeal to international law firms in Italy, which at the time was flourishing with the privatisation of state-owned enterprises and foreign investment. She worked as an associate at Ughi e Nunziante, one of the largest domestic firms in Italy, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, from 1998 to 2000.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
When one of the partners of Ughi e Nunziante, Maurizio Delfino, decided to split from the firm, Altieri was presented with an unmissable opportunity. She followed him and became one of the founding team at the Rome office of Studio Legale Delfino e Associati, the Italian affiliate of US law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher. She is now managing partner of the Rome office. She specialises in advising foreign investors on Italian FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) rules and notice filings, and also specialises in trusts and cross-border investment structures, assisting Italian and international high networth families and their underlying operating businesses.
One of Altieri’s career highlights was facilitating the sale of French luxury jewellery company Van Cleef & Arpels to Swiss luxury goods group Richemont. It was the most important and valuable international transaction she had been involved with at the time, and a highlight for her was working alongside lawyers from around the world. In the process, she developed a strong relationship with the Arpels family which continues to this day.
In addition, Altieri retains a strong connection to Monash Law. She has appeared as a guest lecturer at the Prato campus, discussing the comparative aspects of the Italian and Australian legal systems. Her firm also has a longstanding internship agreement with Monash Law, which selects two students each year whom Altieri personally supervises.
When asked about how her experience in Monash Law Clinics has shaped her, she praised the methodology that she learned while at the clinic. Not only were her legal skills honed, but her logical reasoning and analytical skills were developed. She learned how to manage her files, approach legal issues, conduct herself professionally and improve her legal writing. Her experience at the clinic was profound, and she believes it should be compulsory for all law students. Her advice to the next generation of lawyers: ‘Don’t become complacent in the digital age – always do your research!’
Having been so successful and career-driven in her life, Altieri now seeks to shift gears, becoming more involved in management and coaching roles to transmit her knowledge to a new generation of lawyers, but ensuring not to forget to invest some time in herself. At the time of our interview, she was on holiday in Procida (an island off the coast of Naples, in southern Italy) and shared a stunning view from her balcony. She has discovered a love for art history and dancing to disco music. Whether paving the way for future lawyers or burning up the dance floor, Altieri is a remarkable woman.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
Get involved with Monash Law Clinics
Monash Law Clinics combine legal education with real-world impact, supporting access to justice while equipping students with practical, ethical and professional skills.
If you are a student interested in undertaking a clinical unit as part of your studies, explore the available clinical placements and elective options.
Whether you’re an alum, practitioner or organisation keen to support the clinics through hosting placements, partnerships, volunteering or funding, there’s a way to be involved. To learn more, contact Emily Collard, Industry & Alumni Engagement Manager, at emily.collard@monash.edu.