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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

‘This Job Can Be Stressful, But It Is Almost Never Boring’

Vincent Gannuscio Firm: Roxborough Pomerance Nye & Adreani, Woodland Hills Vincent Gannuscio has spent 19 years in the legal profession. He specializes in workers’ compensation insurance disputes and business litigation about insurance coverage. Best part of the job: I get to do something different almost every day, whether it involves legal research, meetings, depositions, court hearings, mediations or any number of the myriad things we do as lawyers. I previously had my own solo business law and litigation practice, and still represent small- to medium-size businesses, and I’ve always relished the opportunity to get out of the office, meet my business clients and learn about their businesses. Plus, at my firm, I get to handle very interesting matters for very interesting clients. This job can be stressful, but it is almost never boring. Client-counsel connection: As someone who was a small businessman, I appreciate the opportunity to work with people who face the same issues I did – making enough to keep the lights on, pay rent and earn enough to eat.  I’ve never equated “important work” with big business or high dollar cases.  It is enough for me to do work that makes an actual, tangible difference to a business – and to the people behind them.  How law is changing: Computer and electronic-based work now predominates compared to when I started practicing law. Almost everything is done online, from legal research to document exchanges, to service and filing of court documents. This in many cases makes our business more efficient but presents new challenges. However, since I represent businesses, seeing how their businesses likewise change with the times puts the changes in our profession into perspective.  Role within the firm: I am an experienced trial lawyer – I was once, about a lifetime ago, a partner in an insurance defense litigation firm before opening my solo practice. And I apparently have some skill as a writer – I studied journalism in college and was trained to write in an organized manner on an expedited basis, which has helped me immensely in my legal writing. Lately, I have been getting more into the client development side, and this again gives me the opportunity to get out of the office and meet the people.  Personality traits of a power lawyer: My best qualities I owe to my mom, who unfortunately left us far too early. She was a wonderful, stubborn woman whose stubbornness helped her overcome illness and life challenges over and over again.  I’ll never experience half the challenges she did, but I learned from her to stay the course, overcome and eventually find success. Source of power for a “power attorney”: Apart from what I learned from my mom, I have found that if I can stay humble, grounded, find a bit of balance between work and life, and keep calm, it is then that I do my best work.  Memorable experience: I once had a case involving the Three Stooges. I also represented a very well-known musical artist after she and her boyfriend were in a bar fight. I never got to meet her, but I did get to meet her attorney.  Favorite out-of-office activities: I love nature, museums, history and traveling, so road trips – whether day tripor otherwise – are a great pastime for me.  It’s one of the reasons I love California so much.  One legal rule/ practice that needs changing: It just takes too long to get things done, especially when it comes to motion and trial practice. I’d like to say I had a solution to this problem. What clients should do: Come to me sooner when they have problems. Having been a businessman, I understand the reluctance to consult with counsel when a problem first arises – we are, after all, not cheap. But I’ve had quite a few clients who have come to me a few weeks too late, after a problem has become intractable and sometimes, when it’s too late to help.  Advice to prospective lawyers: If you are considering becoming a lawyer, but ultimately end up on the fence about it, then don’t. But if you want to be a lawyer, don’t listen to the naysayers. When I was in college, I had a “pre-law” professional discourage me from going to law school because there were “too many lawyers” and it would be impossible to get a job. I was miserable for the rest of my college tenure, until I decided to ignore the advice and go to law school. Law is difficult, stressful, demanding, and oftentimes a frustrating job, but I’ve never regretted it for a minute.

Mark Madler
Mark Madler
Mark R. Madler covers aviation & aerospace, manufacturing, technology, automotive & transportation, media & entertainment and the Antelope Valley. He joined the company in February 2006. Madler previously worked as a reporter for the Burbank Leader. Before that, he was a reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and several daily newspapers in the suburban Chicago area. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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