Page 34 - Miami Vol 8 No 1
P. 34

2019 SUPERSTAR
“A GOOD ATTORNEY KNOWS THE LAW... A GREAT ATTORNEY INSPIRES CONFIDENCE”
Eric P. Gros-Dubois
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT MANAGER OF WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
AALM: When did you know you wanted to become an attorney?
Gros-Dubois: I knew I wanted to become a lawyer when I joined the debate team in high school. It seems like the natural career for type-A, too smart for their own good, argumenta- tive children. I like the competition, the idea that the truth will always win, and that there is a notion of fairness and justice.
AALM: Do you have any mentors who encouraged you?
Gros-Dubois: I have been blessed with a number of mentors. My  rst boss is still a regular resource and friend. My neighbor was a success- ful businessman who takes time to talk me through problems. I also have a great friend who became my land- lord when I opened the  rm and who has great practical business advice. My stepfather is still practicing with his own corporate law solo practice. All these people have taken the time to share from their experiences and point me in the right direction.
AALM: What experiences have taught you the most?
Gros-Dubois: Early in my career my boss had me handle a jury trial, on three weeks notice, without a second chair. I handled everything from voir- dire to closing arguments.  at week was the most intense of my career and made me appreciate the skill and art of lawyering more than anything else.
AALM: What do you  nd particu- larly rewarding about your practice?
Gros-Dubois: I love working with entrepreneurs. Everyone has a pas- sion, and a vision.  ey are from around the world and in so many industries.Today, I worked with a po- tential franchisor for a home clean- ing business, an app developer from Ecuador working to invent the next Uber, a major cheese importer and distributor, an accounting practice startup, and a large  ower grower.
AALM: What do you  nd particu- larly challenging about your practice?
Gros-Dubois: As the  rm has grown, evolved, and matured, the focus, and the stress keeps mov- ing. In the beginning, the stress was on the marketing strategy and execution. When we started
to have success with market- ing, the stress moved to e ec-
tive selling techniques to convert potential clients into happy cli- ents. Next, we struggled to keep
up with the work.  en we had
to hire, mentor and manage the growing team.  is has been our biggest struggle for the last few years – growing pains with o ce space, technology, and building a co- hesive team that buys into our  rm’s culture.
AALM: What’s the di erence be- tween a good attorney and an out- standing one?
Gros-Dubois: A good attor- ney knows the law. A great attor- ney knows how to inspire con dence and peace of mind.  e three keys we have found are managing the projects, managing the budgets and, most im- portantly, managing the clients. Our most successful attorneys have great people skills in addition to being great lawyers.
AALM: What compelled you to start your own  rm?
Gros-Dubois: In the greatest irony of the universe, my last  rm rolled out a new program requiring the at- torneys to meet networking and client development goals. I strongly object- ed to this change in the  rm culture and focus.  e increased friction ul- timately led me to leave the  rm and hang up my own shingle. Now, all I do is focus on networking and client de- velopment.  e thing I fought so hard against is now my most important fo- cus. Life is funny.
AALM:  us far in your career, what are you most proud of accom- plishing?
Gros-Dubois:  e  rm I’ve built,  rst alone, and for the last few years
with an amazing partner, is my proudest accomplishment. I have never worked in a bigger company or  rm than the one I have managed to put together. Our culture is to work hard, make the world a better place, make money, and have lots of fun. My team has bought into this, and the sky is the limit!
AALM: What is the one piece of ad- vice you would give to a law student?
Gros-Dubois: Clerking in  rms is the most important thing you can do during school. Find a mentor who will invest in you and your career, and a  rm that will give you opportuni- ties to engage directly with clients. I believe in the value of being a general- ist, and I’m lucky to surround myself with specialists. Try to have a broad exposure to the law.  is will help you relate to as many people as possible. Don’t forget, the robots and AI will try to replace us, and the most suc- cessful future attorneys will have the best people skills and bedside man- ner.
AALM: What do you most hope to accomplish in the future?
Gros-Dubois: I see us tripling the size of the  rm, with three successful satellite o ces and a total of 25 at- torneys. I want to build a legacy and a foundation for helping achieve my philanthropic goals.
PHOTO BY ROBERT KLEMM


































































































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