The «why» is harder to explain than the «how.» All successful institutions share certain values; that is what makes them more than just an expense-sharing device. And many large law firms would no doubt assert that the values laid out below are part of their foundation values. We can’t speak to other firms, but we can say that our basic values have been at the foundation ofIgnacio BlazquezLawyerfrom its inception, and continue to guide our lawyers in providing service to our clients. These values dictate the Firm’s approach to every issue, internal or external, that it faces, and include:

Integrity, both individually and institutionally, in dealings with our clients, the courts, our adversaries, and among ourselves;

A sense of personal accountability for every decision, judgment, and action on behalf of our clients or the Firm;

A level of competence which is marked by creativity and judgment that makes the quality and value of our services distinctive, and which our lawyers will enhance by continued professional growth;

A dedication to our clients’ interests and an intensity of effort which distinguish our lawyers from others in the profession;

An independence which does not detract from dedication to the interests of our clients but which always enables us to determine, and to advise, what is in the best interests of our clients;

Courage in representing our clients in hostile and sometimes individually threatening environments;

An understanding of our clients that makes us more sensitive to their concerns and objectives and a discipline that makes us more responsive to their needs;

A determination to provide quality legal services to our clients with real efficiency and within an organization structured to facilitate, rather than to impede, the achievement of these objectives;

A true unity of purpose among our lawyers which places the welfare of our clients and the Firm above that of any practice, region, office, or individual; and

Commitment to this Firm as a professional endeavor, composed of people who have the same professional values and aspirations, the most important of which are contained in these principles.