Borja Torres Moll
I’m from Gandía, and I would describe myself as an open, straightforward and quite empathetic person. As a child, I never dreamed of studying law, but my desire to help others led me to pursue it. I have the flexibility to adapt to all kinds of situations and, although I consider myself methodical, I can also be very creative at times. It’s precisely this creativity that, together with the experience gained in the Doble Máster en Abogacía y Procura + Asesoría Fiscal de Empresas (LL.M.) at IE Law School, has led me to win the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year competition.
"One thing that definitely helped me win this competition was the case methodology they use at IE Law School."
An international award won with experience and creativity
Borja’s passion for the legal world developed late. Although his mother also studied law, he had no intention of following in her footsteps, but rather was looking to study engineering. However, he soon realized that this was not his world. He wanted a profession where he could help others in a more direct way, and he ended up choosing a dual degree. When it was time to enter the labor market, he consulted with contacts from his family and the university, and they all recommended that he study the Máster de Acceso a la Abogacía.
The dual master’s degrees at IE Law School attracted his attention because they allowed him to specialize in the area of his interest while studying the compulsory master's degree to become a member of the legal world. They offered a tax consulting specialization, a dynamic area in which he already had experience and which he was interested in because, in his own words, "you do something different every day." In addition, the program had very strong references from close friends, as well as from his boss during his bachelor’s degree internship.
Not only has the program more than met his expectations, but, according to Borja, it also helped him win the latest edition of the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year competition. The ultimate goal of this competition is to recruit talented young lawyers, and the IE Talent & Careers department encourages students to apply for various selection processes even before finishing their studies. Following these recommendations, Borja decided to participate in the national competition, which consisted of preparing a case study. He passed the first two phases of the test and ended up being selected among the four finalists to present their case to the firm's partners in Madrid.
Borja won the national first prize; an indefinite contract at the firm and the chance to represent Spain in the international phase. Unstoppable, he faced 38 participants from all over the world and was once again a finalist. As such, he traveled to Vancouver to present his case to a jury made up of big names in the firm, including IE Law School professor Rocío Reyero.
In this big final phase, not only did he have to present his case, he also had to prepare a statement on AI and its potential impact on the world of tax law. In addition to the theoretical and technical aspects, Borja was aware that the jury would value his creativity and originality. Therefore, he decided to take risks and use AI to prepare his statement. But before making this decision, he first sought advice from his professor Pilar Galeote. She gave her recommendations on how Borja could make his statement more accurate.
The risk paid off and Borja ended up winning the competition. He explains that, despite the normal nerves of having to present his case in such a decisive final, he was able to do so with ease and comfort. All the previous work with the case method used at IE Law School gave him the confidence to present in public with the peace of mind that he knew what he needed to do.
Borja summarizes his experience at IE Law School in three words: work, experience and applicability. He highly values being able to learn from incredible working professionals who are experts in their field. Not only do they bring the most current topics to the classroom and teach from their practical experience, but they are a model for students, who can see their own aspirations reflected in them.
To future students of the Doble Máster en Acceso a la Abogacía y Asesoría Fiscal de Empresas (LL.M.), Borja recommends that they "come prepared, because it’s a lot of work, but it's certainly worth it." He also explains that the program is not a competition, and advises them to learn to work as a team and collaborate with their colleagues, especially as they will likely meet again in the professional world.
