WICKFORD

INSIGHTS
LAW FIRM LEADERS

AContinuingConversationwithLeadersfromthe
LegalIndustry
SamCortes, PartneratFoxRothschild

Samlitigatescommercialandinsurancedisputesinstateandfederalcourtsin
Pennsylvania,oftenhandlingcasesinthehealthcareindustry.Healsoassists
financialservicescompaniesinobtainingnecessarycourtapprovalsofbusiness
transactions.Additionally,Samhandlesconstructionlitigationmattersonbehalf
ofpublicandprivateowners,developers,contractors,subcontractors,
manufacturers,andlenders.Hehassuccessfullydefendedbuildersand
developers,andpursuedclaimsonbehalfofhomeownersinconstructiondefect
cases.Samalsohandlescontractdraftingandnegotiation,andprovides
counselingtoclientsregardingriskidentification,mitigation,andavoidance.Sam
wasincludedinthelistof"PennsylvaniaRisingStars"byPhiladelphiaMagazine

andLaw&PoliticsMagazine.

Q:Describeyourpracticeandhowithaschangedoverthepastfiveyears.

A:Mypracticehasgrownoverthepastfiveyears,thankfully.Ingeneralterms,Iamacommercial
litigatorandhavebeensinceIstartedmycareer.Overthepastfiveyears,Ihaveconcentratedmy
litigationpracticeprimarilyinthefollowingthreeindustries:(1)construction;(2)healthcare;and(3)
insurance/specialtyfinance.Intheseareas,Iregularlyhandlecontractdisputes,includingdisputes
involvingnoncompetitionagreements.

Ihavedevelopedanareaofemphasisworkingwithspecialtyfinancecompaniestoobtainrequired
courtapprovalsofspecializedassignmenttransactions.MyFirmregularlyseeksandobtainsapprovals
oftheassignmentoflotteryproceedsand/orstructuredsettlementproceedsinseveralstates,
including,withoutlimitation,Pennsylvania,NewJersey,NewYork,Delaware,Florida,Colorado,and
Nevada.Ourbreadthofpracticeandnationalscopeallowustohandlethesematters,whichareoften
timesensitive,costeffectivelyandefficiently.WehavegrownthispracticesignificantlyandIlookfor
continuedgrowthinthisareainthecomingyears.

Q:Whatisanimportantlegalissueinyourpracticeareaandhowdoesitaffectyourclients?

A:Thelawisnotstatic.Itchangesconstantlyandwekeepontopofthesechangestobestadviseour
clients.Forexample,wearecurrentlyawaitingaPennsylvaniaSupremeCourtdecisionrelevanttothe
enforceabilityofnoncompetitionagreements.Thiscasecouldhavemajorramificationsforemployers
andemployeesimpactedbysuchagreementsinPennsylvania.
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Likewise,thespecialtyassignmenttransactionsthatwehandleinvolvebothstateandfederalstatutes
andrulesthatcananddochange.Also,inhealthcare,regularlychangingregulationsandcaselaw
constantlyaffectourclients'businesses.Again,weneedtoremainontopofthesechangestocontinue
toprovidethefirstraterepresentationthatourclientsexpectanddeserve.

Q:Whatdoyouseeasthegreatestchallengefacinglawfirmstoday,andhowareyouandyourfirm
workingtoaddressthatchallenge?

A:Clientsareincreasinglyratesensitiveandalternativebillingarrangementsareontherise.We
constantlyfacethechallengeofprovidingfirstraterepresentationforourclientswhileremaining
efficient,andcosteffective.WehaveexcellentleadershipatmyFirmwhocontinuetoevaluatethe
legalmarketplacesothatwecanmeetandexceedourclients'expectationsandofferameasureof
costcertainty.

Q:Whatpracticesorthoughtsdidyouhaveearlyinyourcareerthatyounowseeasbeing
misguided,andwhatledyoutomoveawayfromthosepracticesorthoughts?

A:WhenIfirststarted,Iwasofthemindsetthatthebestpathtosuccesswastochainmyselftomy
deskandworkconstantly.IlearnedthatIwasnotcorrect.

Itistruethatanylawyerfirstneedstodevelophisorherskillsandbecomeanexcellentlawyer.Staying
chainedtoadesk,however,isagoodwaytoremainanonymous.Tosucceedandgrowapractice,your
colleagues,bothatyourfirmandinthebar,needtoknowyou.Thebusinesscommunity(ifyouarea
businesslawyer)needstoknowyou.Theonlywaytoachievethisisto"market"yourselfboth
internallyandexternally.IlearnedquicklytogetinvolvedinareasofmycommunitythatIam
passionateaboutasawaytofindothermeansofbrandingmyselfinsideandoutsideofmyFirm.This
hashelpedmetogrowmypracticeandleadamorefulfillingprofessionallife.

Q:Tootyourhornalittlewhatisitaboutyouandyourfirmthatkeepsclientscomingback?

A:Weconsistentlyprovideclientswiththeresultstheyexpectforafeetheycananticipate,bolstered
bytheexcellentcustomerservicetheydeserve.Weareoutstandinglawyersthattakeapragmatic,
businesslikeapproachtotherepresentationofourclients.Wearealargefirmwithexceptionaldepth
andbootsontheground,whichallowsustoprovideremarkablecompetitiveadvantageswith
certainclientswhodobusinessnationally.Weworklongandhardtoexceedourclients'expectations.

The opinions expressed herein are: (a) solely those of the interviewee and are not intended to represent the position of The
Wickford Group, the interviewees employer or any other third party; and (b) for information purposes only and should not
be taken as legal or other professional advice.
If you would like to take part in one of Insights conversations or would like to recommend a legal professional for a
conversation, please email us at insights@thewickfordgroup.com.