When did you first join the equipment finance industry and what has been the trajectory of your career?

As a litigator by training, my first exposure to the equipment finance industry was litigating loan and lease defaults on behalf of lenders and lessors. I found myself drawn to the industry and was eager to broaden and diversify my skillset to really understand it from every perspective. I looked for and found an opportunity to expand my skills to the front end of the business. Litigators view contracts through a slightly different lens, having seen how borrower and lessee defaults play out in court. I loved that I could now create and improve the very documents that I was enforcing, which attorneys seldom have a chance to do in this industry.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your own professional development? How did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge was not fully embracing my own style. I was fortunate to have been mentored by some of the best in the industry, but when I was a young associate, I naively thought that emulating a mentor’s approach was the only formula for professional growth and success. In doing so, I neglected my own strengths and the unique contributions that I could bring to the table. I realized that personality, style, and approach may differ, but that my success came from deriving, learning, and creating from each interaction and adapting it to a style that was unique to me and my skill set. This epiphany proved to be one of the key contributing factors in my growth, both professionally and personally.

When did you first get involved with ELFA and how have you been engaged as a Member thus far? How has being in ELFA helped your career?

Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP has been an ELFA member for decades and I have benefited from the many ELFA resources available to me, including attending my first ELFA event, the Legal Forum, several years ago. My experience within ELFA has been very rewarding and has included serving as a Member of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Research Committee and being elected as a Member of the Service Providers Business Council Steering Committee, both of which I continue to serve today. I have also been invited to speak at multiple ELFA conferences, including the Annual Convention, Legal Forum, and Credit & Collections Conference, and have moderated ELFA webinars. ELFA has been personally enriching and I have had the pleasure of meeting and forging meaningful relationships with some incredible colleagues. These connections have not only provided me with perspective into every aspect of the equipment leasing and finance industry and insight into the unique business model behind each respective organization, but have also contributed to my growth as a professional and trusted advisor. 

What is the most rewarding risk of your career?

I used to think that litigators had to remain litigators and soon recognized that new skills can be learned. Equally as important, you can apply the knowledge you already have to your advantage, thereby maximizing your full potential. Transitioning a skill set can be a daunting risk for some, but I viewed it as an incredible opportunity to grow and dovetail into it with a hunger to learn the business side of the industry. I realized how much I love collaborating and working towards a common goal with all parties to close a deal. The icing on the cake was being recognized by your peers for your accomplishments in the equipment leasing and finance industry as a NextGen Leader for 2021.

If you had to pick one, which is more important when considering a hire—a soft or technical background? You can’t pick both, and please include which soft or technical skill is most beneficial to success.

While not an easy choice, I would definitely place more weight on soft skills when hiring an attorney (as counterintuitive as that sounds). Technical skills can be learned, whereas a strong work ethic, good judgment and emotional intelligence are virtues that are hard to learn, if at all.

What are the top 3 pieces of advice you would give to someone just entering the industry?

First, be your own advocate and create opportunities for yourself. Stay curious and continue to ask questions. The more you know, the more clients and colleagues will look to you as a valued resource and advisor.

Second, there is something to learn from every person and experience. Even challenges, criticism and seemingly negative experiences are, more often than not, a disguised opportunity for growth.

Lastly, and perhaps the most important piece of advice, is committing oneself to excellence, staying focused, and pushing yourself beyond your limits.

Given that ELFA recently updated its mission statement and strategic plan to affirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion, can you give some perspective on what your organization has done or is doing to promote diversity and inclusion?

I am proud to be part of a firm that is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment that supports and celebrates the diverse voices of its professionals, staff, and client base. Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP is a signatory of the New York City Bar Association’s Statement of Diversity Principles and participates in its Diversity Fellowship Program. We also have an active mentoring program. To help further the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts, the firm created, and I chair, our Women’s Initiative program, which provides the women of the firm with insight, opportunity, and a platform to assist in their professional development and advancement, while working toward eliminating gender bias within both the legal and leasing & finance industries. I also serve as a member of Moritt Hock & Hamroff’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and regularly speak on the topic of diversity and inclusion at webinars and conferences on behalf of the firm, including the ELFA Annual Convention this year.