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Michael Herskowitz is a co-founder and partner of the law firm “James&Michael Law”, a member of the International Juridical Foundation, which provides professional assistance to citizens and non-profit organizations in the field of protection against all manifestations of extremism, racial and national intolerance. In an interview with UpTMag Michael Herskowitz tells why he chose a career as a lawyer.
I have always used my chance in my life. And I believe that such a philosophical category as luck is an excuse for people who are not able to achieve a real result. Everyone has a chance, and if a person uses it, he moves forward.
I guess it all started at school. I have always been attracted by the active organizational activities. From middle school I participated in amateur theatricals, became the captain of the first class, then school, then faculty, University, city. Represented the city of Riverside in different types of amateur theatricals.
I always wanted to be a lawyer. The main reason is my parents ‘ opinion. They wanted me to get a comprehensive humanitarian education, which I received after graduating from the faculty of foreign languages of State Pedagogical University and the faculty of law of Riverside University. I have always considered universal pedagogical humanitarian education as a good basis for building a future career. Even before graduating from the faculty of law, I entered a state position in the State Juridical Department of the administration of the region. There I successfully represented the interests of the Governor and was engaged in lawmaking, thanks to philological education, first of all.
Riverside is a small city for a person with a specialization of an international lawyer. I was motivated to gain serious experience in the State Juridical Department of the regional administration. This position undoubtedly influenced my decision to move to New York. Here I found myself exactly five years ago with several offers from international law firms.
I started with international law at a Mexican law firm. Subsequently continued in several closed law boutiques, created on way of New York small and medium-sized law firms. Then, on the same way created my brand – “James&Michael Law”.
Given the globalization of the business community, a modern lawyer does not have the opportunity to narrow their range of professional services only within the framework of American law. New York, as well as the USA in general, is one of the largest centres of international investment. Taking into account that the USA is a member of the World Trade Organization, it is at least illogical to remain lawyers focused only on American law and is no longer in demand in the legal services market. This position served as a concept for the creation of an international juridical boutique with the ability to provide services to the USA and foreign clients around the world.
The judicial boutique is different from most law firms a comprehensive solution to the challenges of a major client. This is not a conveyor method of customer service, but an individual approach. This is one of the prerequisites for the successful development of our business in this form. When creating the company, we decided to use the accumulated experience of the West and created a law firm on the classic model of the New York boutique, which, taking into account our assimilation, successfully operates and develops. The specificity of the international juridical boutique lies on the border of different systems of rights.
At some stage of professional growth, priorities have shifted not to the employer. Professional ambitions and experience gained over eight years of practice were the motivation for the creation of a new business unit. The firm was founded in 2014 by two partners – James Foster, the tax partner, and me – for rendering services in the field of international law and the taxation.
We saw an unfilled niche in the market – a niche of a judicial boutique. And we have created a company that can adequately and quickly respond to the needs of each client, taking into account the specifics of American business. This was the primary focus, but as a result of today’s activity, we realized that our law firm is young. Our staff is young. We use this as our advantage: we are young, dynamic, we use new technologies, ways of carrying information, implementation of projects and we are strictly focused on the result. As the rapid two-year growth of the company showed, given the growth of the level and number of customers, the level of projects implemented, it was the right choice.
In terms of global success, given the past, present and future, we are at the initial stage of the journey. But if you take a cross-section of today, with full confidence I am ready to say that we have achieved results by 100 percent.
The set and announced on time purpose helped. We need to go half a step ahead to lead the customers. This is the dynamics of our business.
In the course of all my activities, taking into account the professional approach, I try not to commit irreversible actions. That is, such a concept as “error” acquires an innocent meaning. When bridges are not burned, and there is an opportunity to correct this or that situation, this situation and actions which led to it, it is impossible to call mistakes. Your clients are large Russian and Western companies.
Five years ago, we had a goal to create a brand on the market that will be recognizable among businessmen of a certain level. However, the ambition forward. Maybe the real “success” isn’t now. The group of our clients becomes wider thanks to our marketing policy “by word of mouth”. We do not adhere to an aggressive marketing policy and develop on the model and likeness of the classic New York companies, where we have a sufficient number of partners and customers.
It’s not a secret that the business is based not only on branding but also on informal relationships between the owners of the company and their customers. Charismatic management also plays a significant role, but I believe that no charisma has the right to exist without the appropriate training of people involved in the project, which we pay special attention to. We are a dynamic, young, developing company with maximum opportunities.
“James&Michael Law” is a member of one of the largest and most reputable international legal associations – ADVOC. This Association unites law firms from more than 45 jurisdictions of the largest business districts of the world – from New York and London to Shanghai and Tokyo.
It is planned to open branches in London, New York, Cyprus, most likely in one of the Russian cities – St. Petersburg. As a rule, the provision of legal services abroad takes place in two ways – either the formation of its brand with the subsequent involvement of local specialists, or the purchase of an existing company. We’re looking at both. Every entry into the foreign market we see for ourselves as successful as the entry into the New York market.
I have always accompanied my professional activities with charitable projects in the non-profit sector. This comes from a student’s past. Then I headed several student organizations and participated in more than three dozen charitable projects. I never ceased to develop charitable activities. The International Judicial Foundation, whose member I am now, supports a number of charitable projects. “James&Michael Law” took under its wing the project, the main purpose of which is the adaptation of orphans from orphanages and boarding schools to art: painting, music.
This was an interview with Michael Herskowitz. Do you want to read more about successful people? Read about Linda Gerender, Oody Geffen and David Katrakis.