I am senior counsel in the Private Client Services department at the New York office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. After graduating from law school I started as an M&A, but I realized that my passion and skills were derived from the work my direct interaction with individuals and helping them to solve their personal issues. As a summer associate in a large law firm, I worked on many assignments, including “personal” matters for individuals, such as research on how to disinherit a child in Monaco, advising clients on a prenuptial agreement, and figuring out what the tax implications would have been for a client who did not satisfy the requirements outlined in a Will or trust agreement and how that affected her inheritance. I realized quickly that I wanted to be involved in this “trusts and estates” filed because it was a very broad practice which encompassed everything from Wills, to real estate, investments, finance, accounting and many other practice areas. I was fortunate at the time to have a great mentor, who helped me navigate through the red tape at the firm. After almost a year and a half as a corporate attorney, I later transferred to the private clients group and have been practicing in this area for the past 10 years. Changing practice areas early in my career was one of the best decisions that I could have ever done, and I am very grateful to my mentor for helping me through that process.