Employer: Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone Title and Practice Area: Senior Attorney, Corporate/Transactions

Describe your biggest win or accomplishment in practice.  My biggest accomplishment has been earning the trust of my clients, who have continued working with me following my transition to Miller Canfield. As part of that process, and with the support of firm management, I established Miller Canfield's Qatar office in record time, where I am the co-resident director.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned in your first year practicing law?  Starting from my first year practicing law, I was involved in business development. I learned that building a brand and retaining clients is similar to building an empire—it takes patience and team effort. Relationships often take years to develop and require people with different expertise willing to work together.

Who is your greatest lawyer mentor and what has he or she taught you?  Pawel Chudzicki, a Miller Canfield partner, has taught me that my name is my brand and it is worth refusing to compromise on matters of principle. He encourages me to develop my professional reputation through firm service and client work and to discern practice areas that bring me satisfaction.

Please share a brief key to your success. An understanding of the business of law—early in my career, I understood that being successful requires more than just academic brilliance. It requires predicting and fulfilling client, colleague, and firm needs promptly, concisely, and in a meaningful way so that I am viewed as indispensable to their success.