Page 41 - Miami Vol 7 No 2

ANGELA de CESPEDES
A Legal Wonder Woman
AALM: When did you decide to become a lawyer and why?
de Cespedes: From a very early age I was somewhat ob- sessed with books such as “To Kill A Mockingbird” and reruns of “Matlock” and “Perry Mason,” and then later “Law & Or- der.” I don’t remember a time when I wanted to be anything but a litigator. e concept of seeking truth and justice within the framework of our legal system always appealed to me.
I still remember how awestruck I was the rst time I trav- eled to Washington, D.C. and visited the U.S. Supreme Court. Years later, I remember making a bumbling fool of myself as a result of my excitement in meeting one of my role models, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. e experience of arguing in a courtroom continues to inspire that same childlike awestruck feeling in me, so I know I am exactly where I should be.
AALM: What do you nd rewarding about being an attorney?
de Cespedes: It is said that every story has two sides, and somewhere in the middle lays the truth. In my practice, I fre- quently come across parties who feel the need to exaggerate or fabricate elements of their damage claim. I have a knack for sni ng out fraud, and have become pro cient at analyzing human behavior, deciphering motivations, and applying com- monsense. e legal system was never intended to serve as a mechanism for extorting corporate defendants. In many of my cases, there comes a moment when I discover evidence that belies the claims alleged against my clients, a moment where the diligence of my investigation and discovery proves itself to bolster my defense theories. It is those moments, when I know I have the ammunition to defend my clients that I nd most rewarding.
AALM: Did you have any mentors who helped you develop your career?
de Cespedes: Interestingly, the mentor who has had the biggest impact on my career is male – Michael Fertig, my for- mer partner at my previous rm. I worked alongside him for 14 years. His guidance and unwavering support through the years helped make me the lawyer I am today. While almost 20 years my senior and an extremely talented and accomplished litigator in his own right, he always treated me like his equal. He took every opportunity to teach, mentor, provide guid- ance, and cultivate my con dence, while giving me the free- dom to demonstrate my unique talents in full display of our clients. His example instilled in me the importance of being and having good mentors.
AALM: What traits do you think make an attorney excep- tional?
de Cespedes: It is my instinct to protect my clients, to an- ticipate worst case scenarios and do everything I can to avoid or minimize them. I am a problem solver, a xer, a crisis man- ager. I think of my clients as “we,” and provide them with the con dence of knowing that my rst priority is to assist them in resolving whatever issues they are facing in the most e cient manner possible. I am passionate, creative and goal oriented in this regard. e ability to convey and execute these principles in a manner which leaves my clients con dent that I am on their team and will do everything in my power to resolve their issues. I think that is what separates a good attorney from an outstanding one.
AALM: What is your favorite quote?
de Cespedes: My favorite quote is by Madeline Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State: “ ere is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” But why don’t wom- en help other women? I believe that primitive male and female societal roles are still prevalent today, in part. e origin of the human species dates back 300,000 years and modern society as we know it today has arguably only existed for a couple hundred years, which leaves approximately 99% of our evo- lutionary biology behind us. Primitive men, as hunters, joined forces with other strong men to hunt and capture larger prey as a group. Primitive women were (and modern women still are in large part) the primary point person for household and child rearing related endeavors. When viewed in this light, the introduction of another strong woman into that environment would be viewed as a threat – and instinctually the primi- tive woman would seek to eliminate the competition. While we have come a long way in a very short time, comparatively speaking, the realities of our current corporate setting, require women to shed these primitive notions and recognize the ne- cessity to join forces with other strong women to succeed.
AALMagazine.com
41