José Antonio Ambrosi: “Marketing, both for existing and potential clients, is a fundamental factor for lawyers”

Today we get to know one of Baker McKenzie’s partners in more depth: José Antonio Ambrosi, who specializes in the Corporate area, particularly in Mergers & Acquisitions, spin-offs, outsourcing and joint venture agreements. We share below his answers in a new installment of “A day in the life of…”.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive at the office or start your work day?

The first thing I do when I get to my office is to sit in my desk chair, review pending issues with my assistant and simultaneously order my coffee. It is a routine I have always followed, although sometimes, due to client needs, it is broken. Nevertheless, it is the one I usually apply.

I then answer emails and prioritize and immediately meet with the team, depending on the issues that need to be resolved or followed up.

What role do Marketing and Communication play in your day-to-day business?

Given that the role of lawyers in law firms is to attend to the constant needs of clients, my priority is precisely to respond to and coordinate the different matters. To do this, I must exercise clear communication with my team, allowing efficient delegation and identifying at least four factors:

• Objective of the consultation / issue and the consequence we seek
• Possible means to achieve the objective, including the selection of suitable professional
• Role of each team member
• Expected time and costs

Marketing, both to existing and potential clients, is a fundamental factor for in-house lawyers. Therefore, moments should be sought to connect with existing clients, give continuity to projects and learn about their problems and needs, as well as obtain feedback to improve what needs to be improved.

With respect to potential clients, it is important not to rest on the attainment of new business and clients and that is why conferences and seminars are a good method of promotion. Likewise, personalized promotion is a great tool to make yourself known and meet new prospects.

In short, Marketing and Communication are two elements that play an important role in the development of any lawyer’s practice.

What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you in the office?

In my days as an associate, working in Chicago, there was a much appreciated partner who played tennis. We had to be ready to play when he felt like it. That day that partner asked me if we could play in the afternoon, to which I happily agreed.

Shortly after that, an associate from the Chicago office, who was not prepared for a tennis match, came into my office -very agitated and worried- asking me for my sports socks so he could play, to which I replied that the same patner had already asked me to play in the afternoon. The associate thought about it and answered: “It doesn’t matter, I can borrow them now and you will have them back in the afternoon so that you can use them for your math”.

My answer was NO, because there was no way I was going to use my sports socks after he had worn then in the morning. He begged and pleaded and told me that there was nothing wrong with that and that I was not going to wear them dirty. However, my answer was NO and he had to play with his own socks from his formal wear.

Your favorite place to get lost and disconnect?

Now that we live in cities full of constructions, having a space that looks green is a space that attracts my attention. Therefore, my favorite place to get lost and disconnect are the ones with a view of a garden or the sea. So, one of my favorite spaces is the terrace of my house. Whenever I can spend a moment in these environments, it helps me to recharge and clarify ideas.

If you were a product, what would your slogan be?

“Reliability, durability and quality.”

What book would you recommend?

“The Fortress” or “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”.

What is the biggest learning you have taken away from your current position and throughout your career?

Constant self-improvement should be a daily obligation and not just a sporadic one. Personal relationships and attitude become as important as knowledge and, therefore, must be exercised all the time.

True leadership of teams is not only telling them what to do, but also listening to them and making them feel part of the team. Therefore, one of the greatest lessons learned is that leadership is not imposed, but assumed, and only becomes evident when others recognize it and follow it out of conviction, not imposition.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out in his or her career?

To be constant, to have goals and not to collapse in the face of falls; there will always be failures. There is no successful man who has not been built on failures.

Which areas of your industry need the biggest boost over the next five years?

Gericó Associates is the first legal marketing, communications and business development consultancy for law firms in Europe and Latin America. If you want to contact us and receive more information, please contact us here.