Since immigrating from Cuba as a boy, Norberto Garcia, a partner at Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari in Chatham, has developed an impressive personal injury practice, as well as a reputation for service to the community and legal profession in the state. Garcia, according to one attorney, "has tried over 100 cases to verdict all over the state obtaining numerous highly successful outcomes for his clients." Garcia is current president of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and former Hudson County Bar Association president, and mentors students at the high school and law school levels.

What are your proudest professional achievements over the last couple of years?

As it has always been throughout my professional career, my proudest achievements have been securing significant recoveries for clients in difficult cases. There are cases where I have been able to take on representation where previous lawyers have turned the matter down and where I have achieved significant verdicts and settlements. These results on difficult cases have been achieved  because of careful discovery, thorough investigation, abundant firm resources and, sometimes,  just plain good luck.

What has been your experience with diversity in the profession, and how does it factor in to your day-to-day work as an attorney?

A large percentage of my clients are of diverse backgrounds. My ability to work with them and communicate in their native language provides an incredible advantage. Having access to a network of professionals from diverse backgrounds gives me an almost limitless supply of insight when dealing with situations and litigants from diverse backgrounds.

What can organizations employing lawyers do to better address diversity?

Have someone from a diverse background in the room when doing interviews, choosing assignments or making promotion decisions. We tend to default to our comfort position. Our comfort position favors people of similar backgrounds. Having a diverse viewpoint on these decisions helps ensure the retention and promotion of diverse lawyers.

Name a mentor, or someone you admire, and why.

I was initially hired at Blume Forte back in 1995 by Peter Vazquez, then a name partner at Blume Vazquez and later the presiding criminal judge in Essex County. Judge Vazquez taught me early on that when you come from a diverse background, you have to work twice as hard to get ahead. You take nothing for granted. He taught me that there will be professional setbacks—you deal with them and move on. All growth comes from some kind of pain. It is how you deal with defeats that determines whether you come out a better, stronger person.

What is your best advice for someone looking to make an impact in the legal profession?

Put your name and accomplishments out there for the community to see. Your accomplishments and legal activities create your best marketing tools. Network through bar associations and civic groups. Lecture and publish articles as often as you can. Build the best version of yourself you can be… and then give it all away through service to the community.