Page 40 - Miami Vol 7 No 2

ALIETTE DELPOZO RODZ
“Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill
AALM: What do you nd rewarding about being an at- torney? What do you nd challenging about your prac- tice? How do you overcome those challenges?
Rodz: ere is nothing that I love more than the thrill of winning for my clients and achieving what they came to me to deliver. e challenge is usually complicated and we traverse many paths to reach our goal, but I thrive on that journey. I overcome the obstacles and challenges of these complex business matters by never losing sight of the goals, thinking outside the proverbial “box” and never allowing my focus to derail from my clients’ goals.
AALM: Did you have any mentors or professors who helped you develop your career?
Rodz: Harold “Ed” Patrico , a seasoned attorney at Shutts, has been an instrumental mentor in my legal ca- reer. From the day I started at Shutts 17 years ago, he treat- ed me as an equal and allowed me to learn his business savvy and creative thinking for the bene t of our clients in complex legal business matters. He exuded the con dence required to achieve success. He taught me the importance of mentoring and valuing good talent. I saw rsthand the impact that this may have on a person and this instilled in me the desire to pay it forward and mentor my younger peers when given the opportunity to do so.
AALM: What rst drew you to your rm? Tell us about your role there.
Rodz: Shutts is a great rm with excellent lawyers who value and respect each other and work as a team for the betterment of their clients and our continued personal growth. I have grown as a lawyer alongside Shutts. I have
You Can Do It All
seen it steadily expand its portfolio into all areas of the law by selectively hiring talented laterals. We value integrity, character and the true passion for the practice of law.
I am one of the pioneers of the rm’s focus on women group and I chair the rm’s diversity committee. ese are my passions. It is important to see our rm grow with our diverse communities, especially living in Miami where we have such a diverse culture and client base. I aim to keep us current and to ensure that we appease to the millenni- als, and to all attorneys of all backgrounds because we are diverse and extremely proud of our evolution.
AALM: What accomplishment are you most proud of achieving?
Rodz: I became the rst Cuban American woman to become a shareholder at Shutts in 2010 at the age of 36. I have worked very hard to build my practice and create a reputation of a tenacious litigator who problem solves and listens to her clients and her peers. e road here has not been easy, but it has been so worthwhile.
I am most proud of this accomplishment because it opened doors for many women a er me. I had a young, talented legal assistant who le her job to go to law school and become a lawyer. When I asked her what motivated her to do this, she informed me that she did so because of me. I had showed her that you can be a great attorney, and a great mother, wife and woman. You can do it all. I was so humbled and so proud to see I had made a di erence.
AALM: What traits do you think make an attorney ex- ceptional? What’s the di erence between a good attorney and an outstanding one?
Rodz: e di erence between good and great is some- thing that I try, together with my husband, to instill in my own boys every day. We live by the model – “Good is not great!” An exceptional attorney takes the matter at hand as her own and looks for creative ways to resolve it 24/7. I do not take “no” for an answer. I see myself as my clients’ partner. I learn my client’s needs and goals and I acquire them as my own. You can never be too prepared. When you stop seeking to better yourself, you stunt your profes- sional and personal growth and the potential success of your clients. e passion and focus must emanate from you at all times.
ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · MIAMI · VOL. 7 NO. 2 40