Student of the week // Thomas RIGAL

Thomas RIGAL
24
Originally from : Béziers
7 years in Montpellier
In Master 2 Business and Tax Law - DJCE

Passions ? Hobbies ?

I've always been a sports fan, especially rugby, and I juggle my studies with this passion. While I also enjoy traveling abroad, I must admit that letting off steam from time to time on the pitch or elsewhere is essential to my equilibrium.

Your project?

I am currently studying for a Master 2 in Business Law and Taxation - DJCE at the Montpellier Law School. I previously completed a Master 2 Droit Notarial for the 2015-2016 year. At the end of this year, I will complete my 2-year internship in a notary's office specializing in business law in order to validate the Diplôme Supérieur du Notariat (DSN).
The aim is to reconcile my favorite areas of business law, notably taxation and corporate law, with notarial law. Originally, the notary was the true scribe of society. Little by little, lawyers began to take over business law. My aim is, of course, to progress and contribute to this area of notarial law, which is business law, in order to best represent the diversity of skills in this profession.

You were awarded a Sportif de Haut Niveau contract from 2010 to 2013. Can you tell us which sport?
I was a top-level rugby athlete for most of my university career. I played for the Béziers club (ASBH) from 2005 to 2010, then for the Montpellier club (MHRC) from 2011 to 2013.

How have you managed to combine your studies with your sporting status?

It's not easy to reconcile a university career with a career in sport. Playing high-level sport requires a personal commitment that often runs counter to an academic career. It's important to set yourself a timetable that best reconciles the two activities. Although there is a national convention for top-level athletes, I have to admit that not all faculties are equipped to receive these athletes. We're a long way from an American-style system! You're often on your own, and the "choice" between a university career OR a career in sport is a constant question. The high-level athlete agreement at Montpellier Law School is purely formal. My status as an athlete played a few tricks on me during my degree. Fortunately, Montpellier Law School has a number of professors whom I'd like to thank today for their tremendous support, which enabled me to continue progressing.

Did you give up your sports career for the law?

If it's possible to reconcile "sport and study", it becomes more difficult when you're aiming for Masters degrees that only accept students by application and national selection. I couldn't have competed with students who were 100% committed to obtaining the Masters of their choice, nor with a young top-level athlete who had been 300% committed for years to becoming a professional. So I opted for an exclusively academic path in Master 1, which paid off. I may have had a few pins and needles for a year in the lecture hall, but today I don't regret my choice.

What's a typical day like for you?

College during the day! And Philipides or the gym at the end of class, before meeting up with a few friends for a drink.

What's your favorite place at university?

I'm hesitating between Richter's BU, where I spent a lot of time, or my Master 2 room at the Faculty of Law, where I spent, and continue to spend, unforgettable moments, humanly speaking.

Your favorite place in Montpellier?

Without a doubt, the city center is ultra dynamic. Whether it's Monday or Sunday, midday or midnight, there are always people on the street, and it's great to see that Montpellier is a city that belongs to its young people.
Thank you very much Thomas for answering our questions, and we wish you every success for what promises to be a challenging year!

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