As a former athlete, teamwork and collaboration are traits that I have always sought to embrace in my career post-basketball. Quickly after joining Almazan Law, I learned that teamwork and collaboration are critical elements to Almazan Law’s success and values as a law firm. Our clients, too, appreciate the structure and collaborative system that we have here at Almazan Law. Here, at Almazan Law, the person taking the winning shot, with three seconds left, is equally as important as the person making the pass.
This article explores what collaboration and teamwork mean to Almazan Law, how our clients benefit from same, and our Real Estate Team’s recent accomplishments during the first quarter.
Collaboration, Teamwork, Trust, and Mentorship
From my perspective, collaboration here at Almazan Law involves communication, accountability, knowledge, and expertise sharing. In addition to offering up our expertise, we help, advise, and counterbalance one another. Teamwork means: (1) being reliable and having the backs of your colleagues; (2) being good for your word; and (3) working as hard as necessary to get the job done. See Susan Smith Blakely, In defense of the team: What basketball and law practice have in common, https://www.abajournal.com/columns/article/in-defense-of-the-team-what-basketball-and-law-practice-have-in-common
As a young attorney, I quickly learned that the Partners here embrace what others may refer to as “competence-based trust,” which is the “belief that another individual is competent, reliable, professional, well prepared and dedicated to his or her work.” See Heidi K. Gardner, Collaboration in Law Firms, The New Wave of Client Service. This trust, which in turn, allows young professionals, such as myself, to develop a mentorship relationship with the Partners at the Firm. This mentorship, then, allows for young attorneys and staff members to interact with the Firm’s clients to help achieve cost-effective results for the Firm’s clients.
How do Clients Benefit from Collaboration?
Research and surveys indicate that clients also benefit from collaboration and teamwork. The benefits are wide-ranging, ranging from effective communication to cost-cutting incentives. For example, by working as a team, we all strive to deliver high-quality, exemplary work product, irrespective of whether the case is small, complex, or transactional.
As to cost-effective benefits, for example, our clients save money when they can speak to a lower billing member that can speak to one of our team members who is “in the know”; (2) our great communication allows for clients to feel a sense of support – a team that is solving your problems rather than just one attorney; (3) greater perceived value, trust, and understanding; (4) excellent customer service, as our team members are cordial and cooperative; and (5) having several practice groups in house, also allows us to work and collaborate with team members from other practice groups to see our client’s matter through a new lens.
Real Estate Team – Recent Accomplishments
Like in sports, teamwork and collaboration are essential elements to accomplishing better outcomes for the Firm’s clients, as “the best decisions are reached by diverse teams with cooperative approaches to problem-solving and best practices.” See Susan Smith Blakely, In defense of the team: What basketball and law practice have in common, https://www.abajournal.com/columns/article/in-defense-of-the-team-what-basketball-and-law-practice-have-in-common
With collaboration and teamwork in mind and at its forefront, during our first quarter, our Real Estate Team successfully: (1) closed fifty-two (52) real estate sales and transactions, all of which ranged from $150,000.00 to $16,000,000; (2) defended an owner of a multi-million-dollar real property with a real estate dispute in a pre-suit matter; and (3) mitigated several code violations and fines, on behalf of institutional and individual clients.
If you have not met the wonderful Real Estate Team that I am so lucky to be a part of, allow me to introduce them to you. Our one and only Mr. Alex Almazan, along with Partner Johanna Vega, lead the Real Estate Team. As key and integral members, you will often interact with our superstar Real Estate paralegals, Jennise Rodriguez and Alexandra Diaz, as well as our lovely Office Manager, Sonia Garcia, who is instrumental in making sure we succeed in our role as Escrow Agents in the numerous, successful closings that take place on a weekly basis.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, not only does working as a team here at Almazan Law “make the dream work,” but it allows for so many more benefits, such as the additional “brainpower” to be more proactive in spotting opportunities on how to effectively resolve our clients’ problems. What I truly love the most is that everyone has a role, and everyone shares in the credit.