Many years ago 2005 I wrote this article in Latin Lawyer magazine about work and life balance...stay tuned for the update after 20 years!
What was your first job?
I started as an assistant in an insurance brokerage company in Guatemala. My responsibility was reviewing the coverage of insurance policies for inventory amounts, and transportation policies for coverage on routes and in ports. It was pretty different from what I do today, but interesting.
What was your worst experience as a trainee?
The law firm where I started working as a trainee was taking part in a bidding process.At the moment when we presented the offer I was walking into the room with a partner, carrying a box full of documents - and I tripped and fell over with all the papers, everything came out of the box. My face goes red just remembering that experience!
Where is the best place to find out all the gossip in the office?
The best place to hear the best rumours, gossip or useful information is the ladies room.
What time do you leave the office, on average?
I work on a flexible schedule, so I leave the office every day around noon. My computer is my real office, and that one goes to sleep around 10pm.Thank God BlackBerry technology is not available in town...
How do you spend your weekends?
I try to spend a lot of time with my two boys and my husband. My oldest son is five and enjoys going to the movies and swimming, and my youngest son is two and he is full of surprises. My favorite kind of weekend is one where we have the opportunity go to the beach; El Salvador has very beautiful beaches.
Do you work at weekends?
When necessary. I practice corporate law, so if we are in the middle of a transaction, weekends are the best days to catch up on other cases. Every Sunday I plan my week ahead, so I work for one hour at night while the kids are sleeping.
Which is your favorite restaurant?
I am very energetic person and my lifestyle requires a complete set of three meals, but they are often made in a rush - the combination of being a mother and a lawyer is hectic and energy- consuming. So when I go out, I like a quiet, romantic restaurant with delicious food. In El Salvador, there is a place called ‘A lo Nuestros’ that has all those characteristics.And I like Joe’s in Miami Beach for the Alaska king crabs.
Where is your favorite place to go on holiday?
I am a Guatemalan, therefore my favorite place is Antigua Guatemala (fortunately it is only a three- hour drive from El Salvador).The place feels like a piece of heaven, because it has always spring-like weather, and wonderful sunsets with a perfectly shaped volcano for the sun to slide behind.
If you hadn’t been a lawyer what would you have been?
A psychologist; I enjoy people a lot. I find it interesting to sit in an airport and wonder where people are flying, or why they act like they do. I also enjoy giving advice if it is asked for.
Did you have a mentor? If so who was this?
Yes. I worked for a long time as the general counsel in the local branch of an international bank. The most interesting areas were the corporate finance and project finance structures, as they required a lot of legal knowledge.The head of the corporate finance department was a very young but well experienced banker who knew a lot about international legal documentation, but vitally, he knew how to organize and control complex transactions when a number of counselors and parties were involved.As a lawyer, I appreciated the experience of working with that type of person, and he was able to teach me many important lessons for my life and professional career.
What satisfies you about your job?
It is very satisfying to gain the trust of a client, and to reach the position of a real counselor, adding value to the corporate work I do.What aspect of it would you change?In some jurisdictions it is difficult to provide an excellent delivery, because the high level of involvement of public institutions like registries, courts of law and municipal bodies can lead to delays. Although I believe our clients understand these are caused by inefficient institutions, sometimes the lawyer is blamed.
What car do you drive?
I drive a Volvo station wagon, which is very motherly! They are boxy, but safe.
What book are you reading?
At the moment I am not reading a book – recommendations are accepted! I read a lot at work and love reading the newspapers in the morning, but don’t have much time for other reading.
What is on your Cd or i-pod at the moment?
Celine Dion, Luis Miguel (great Mexican singer), the Bee Gees and Frank Sinatra.What is your favorite book/film?My favorite book is “El Amor en los Tiempos del Colera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and my favorite movies are My Fair Lady,The Sound of Music and Gone with the Wind.
What’s the most interesting way you’ve ever attained a client?
When I resigned from my internal position at the bank in order to move my private practice forward, my boss asked me to finish a credit syndication transaction for one of the bank’s main customers in Central America.The transaction required coordinating the advice of many people and a lot of logistics. Some how we manage da very smooth closing with no hiccups.That customer is my most recently acquired client.
What makes a ‘good’ lawyer?
I will always remember my professors saying that the devil is in the detail. Over the years of practice you manage to understand that the detail is the essence of our profession.To develop long- standing relationships with clients it is crucial to gain their trust; this may require sacrifices, such as declining other cases or public recognitions, due to confidentiality reasons. A good lawyer must be the soldier in front of, and the thinker behind, the client’s decisions and strategies.
What is the worst habit some clients have?
They do not always recognize that it is hard to achieve everything in a short space of time.
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