Daniel Archuleta, with Troutman Sanders.

Employer: Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders Title and Practice Area: Partner, Energy

Describe your biggest win or accomplishment in practice.  Leading the firm's gas pipeline practice in 2020, which meant successfully balancing and resolving two rate cases for separate coalitions, both representing millions of retail customers, against two of the largest pipelines in the U.S. Both cases had hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, along with complex contracting issues.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned in your first year practicing law?  My first year was during the Great Recession. As a result, I immediately learned how critical your first six-12 months are, as a new attorney, in setting a good first impression, demonstrating your value to coworkers, and establishing habits and expectations that allow you to continuously grow as a lawyer.

Who is your greatest lawyer mentor and what has he or she taught you?  My greatest mentor is my colleague, Lisanne Crowley. More than anything, she taught me the importance of truly being vested in your work on a daily and long-term basis and how being deeply committed to our clients allows us to better anticipate and serve their needs.

Please share a brief key to your success.  We must always strive for excellence beyond the immediate legal analysis with any issue. There are plenty of brilliant attorneys. But dedicating extra time and effort to think ahead, consider the business and practical effects of any matter, and use a service-oriented approach help build, grow, and maintain client relationships.