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The ATL Interrogatories: 10 Questions With Paul Steven Singerman From Berger Singerman

A notable law firm partner shares insights and experiences about the legal profession and careers in law, as well as about his firm and himself.

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Ed. note: This is the latest installment of the ATL Interrogatories. This recurring feature will give notable law firm partners an opportunity to share insights and experiences about the legal profession and careers in law, as well as about their firms and themselves.

Paul Steven Singerman is Co-Chair of Berger Singerman and concentrates his practice in troubled loan workouts, insolvency matters, and commercial transactions. Paul is active throughout the United States in large and complex restructuring, insolvency, and bankruptcy cases. Although Paul is best known for his representation of debtors in complex restructuring cases, he is also experienced in representing creditors’ committees, lenders, large unsecured creditors, asset purchasers in § 363 sales and trustees. Much of his work has involved companies with international operations or European or Asian parties-in-interest.

1. What is the greatest challenge to the legal industry over the next 5 years?

The greatest challenge will be continuing to sustain a healthy, progressive and collaborative law firm culture in the face of unprecedented systemic pressures on law firms and lawyers. These pressures include law firms being viewed by their clients as mere vendors, pricing pressure, an environment of rising costs, and a greater urgency in everything that law firms and lawyers are asked to do. I see other law firms responding to these challenges in different ways, including merging with other firms to create mega-firms. I am not sure that is the answer generally, and I know it’s not for our firm.

2. What has been the biggest positive change to the legal profession since the start of your career?
Technology. We now have access to a veritable universe of data in order to help provide client service more efficiently and better solve problems. Things like video conferencing and the ability to easily exchange data allows us to stay informed about what each of us on the team is doing. A broader group of lawyers can help solve problems for a client in real time, and that’s a tangible benefit of technology.

3. What has been the biggest negative change to the legal profession since the start of your career?
Also technology. It is oppressive to lawyers and increases the stress of practicing law.

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4. What is the greatest satisfaction of practicing law?
Solving problems efficiently and helping a client advance and grow its business interests. We take great pride in being Florida’s business law firm. If a company is based in Florida and needs help outside the state, or if a company outside the state needs help in Florida, we stand ready to solve their problems. That challenge, and the ability to work together, invigorates all of us within the firm.

5. What is the greatest frustration of practicing law?
My frequent inability to control my own schedule. Judges tell me where to be, when to be there, notwithstanding whether I had plans to be elsewhere. And clients have, through no fault of their own, demands that are difficult to anticipate. Judges often ask you to be in one part of the country, and another judge in another part of the country expects you there too. It’s stressful. The uncertainty of my schedule, and the regular disruption to personal and professional plans, is a frequent source of stress as well.

6. What is your firm’s greatest strength?
Far and away, our culture. It’s supported by a clearly articulated statement of the firm’s values and cultural aspirations, and candid communication during the recruitment process regarding who we are, what we aspire to be, and where we aspire to go as a firm. There is also a strong effort on the part of the leadership of the firm to lead by example. The source of our overriding and relentless commitment to firm culture comes from our understanding of what we don’t wish to be, lessons learned from other law firms, and a willingness to put our aspirational culture ahead of literally any other factor—including money, firm size or growth, recruitment opportunities, and possible client engagements. What we do might not be comfortable or the best fit for everyone, but we’re very clear about what’s important to us, and we think that the proof is in the pudding. Thankfully and overwhelmingly, our team members don’t leave our firm unless they’re asked to leave. We have a pridefully low attrition rate.

7. What is the single most important personal characteristic for a successful lawyer in your field?
To be an excellent and active listener.

8. What is your favorite legally themed film or television show?
To Kill a Mockingbird (affiliate link). It was impactful for me at a young age.

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9. What is your favorite legally themed book (fiction or non-fiction)?
Roger Fisher’s Getting to Yes (affiliate link).

10.What would you have been if you weren’t a lawyer?
A business owner.

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