After 10 years of membership Eurojuris interviewed Jaime Eduardo Ortiz Pallares, from ORTÍZ, NORIEGA Y GONZÁLEZ, about his experience so far.
The Mexico City based law firm is no stranger to international cooperation as it maintains several strategic alliances with regional organizations and institutions in Europe and America. Its partners, who obtained their qualifications in Latin America, the United States, and Europe, focus on corporate and administrative areas, as well as fiscal litigation.
Knowing your colleagues abroad
Being an active member of Eurojuris is quite a challenge due to the vast distance between Mexico and Europe. There are great advantages of participating in meetings and being in touch with colleagues in Europe. But when coming from Mexico it is very time consuming and often difficult to realize. However, even if participation in meetings is not possible on a regular basis, there is a way of benefiting from the network and its excellent referral system. “It is important to get to know your colleagues and who they are once you have the opportunity”, explains Mr. Ortiz Pallares. “Not only their professional but also their personal skills and competences.” He points out, “in Mexico there is a very personal approach. The client needs to feel comfortable with the individual lawyer more than with a company name”. Hence, personal trust and confidence is indispensable. When it comes to referrals it is important to know the people behind the firms and the perfect match is not the one with the most extensive knowledge, but the one that understands the individual needs best.
Another crucial part of the client relationship is the provision of contact and personal attention at all times. “Business today happens very quickly. Business relationships take place on a global level and business opportunities can not be missed”, emphasizes Mr. Ortiz Pallares. Hence being able to refer a client within hours is an additional service; being part of an international network that facilitates quick professional collaboration is of great benefit.
Key quality: client orientation
“We need to understand the client and the business first and then match the legal frame. Most lawyers look at the law first and then match it with the client”, says Mr. Ortiz Pallares. His firm focuses on understanding and identifying their clients’ priorities; consequently preventing and reducing the risks, that are involved in planning, establishing, and developing different businesses and investments. “The client needs to see the benefits of legal advice. In Mexico many people only contact a lawyer once they are in trouble instead of taking legal advise before starting a business”, he explains. Therefore legal advice should be considered an investment instead of an obstacle.
Overall there are a lot of factors that define international cooperation and the client-lawyer relationship. For Mr. Ortiz Pallares “it is important to know, that there are professional colleagues and a dedicated network available to assist and facilitate sound referrals”.
