Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY
DINO BARAJAS
Years Practicing:
Dino Barajas splits his time between Los Angeles, New York, and Latin America, focusing his practice on domestic and inter- national project development and fi nance, with particular emphasis on Latin American infrastructure projects, debt fi nancings, and mergers and acquisitions. His clients include commercial lenders, institutional investors, investment funds, project sponsors, and public and private companies. Compared to his early days in the profession, Bajaras notes
18 Area of Practice: Corporate
that generating business has become an increasingly bigger challenge. “Where there were once regional powerhouses, today’s multi-national fi rms have grown so large that they’re often in four or fi ve markets around the world. Branding simultaneously in diff erent regions is not easy. Also the pool of competitors has gotten larger—that raised the bar. No one can rest on his or her laurels. You have to be there pressing the fl esh, meeting new people. Marketing is a 24/7 thing—it’s really just nonstop. “But pitches are like planting seeds. Reaching out to clients
rarely produces fruit immediately. You may have to wait four or fi ve years before an opportunity develops and then client service is everything,” he says. “An attorney becomes known over time. It’s not about immediate gratifi cation.” Does he ever weary from the grind? Never! Not for an
instant. For an inner city kid whose mother labored in the canneries and agricultural fi elds of California, says Barajas, his career is like a Cinderella story. And as a Mexican American he is delighted that his language and cultural skills are assets—something he only fully understood after practicing for several years. And despite his continued suc- cess, Barajas adds, “I’m hungry for more. I’m always asking myself: Who is my next client? Where can I improve? What is waiting for me tomorrow?”
MCCA.COM
ELDORA L. ELLISON, PH.D.
Director, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein, & Fox PLLC Washington, D.C.
Years Practicing:
12 Area of Practice: IP
As a rainmaking attorney at a D.C.-based boutique IP fi rm, Eldora Ellison spends a lot of time on business develop- ment. “I do the usual: make presentations, write papers, and meet people. Also I work hard at keeping existing clients happy and that requires addressing their uncertainties. Lately, I’ve been helping them to understand the sweep- ing patent reforms contained in the America Invents Act enacted in September.” Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ellison earned a Ph.D. in
biochemistry, molecular, and cell biology. She then joined a law fi rm, became a patent agent, and attended law school at night before moving to Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein, & Fox. Today, she is a director in the biotechnology/chemical and litigation groups focusing on patent litigation, particularly in the life sciences. Her clients have included large multi- national corporations, small start-up companies, universi- ties, and other not-for-profi t organizations. Ellison fi rst considered a career in law while working on
her Ph.D. in biochemistry at Cornell University. “My adviser was trying to patent a protein that we were studying. It was a frustrating, drawn-out process. We could have used someone with more knowledge of both science and law to bridge the communication gap. Around this time I also began thinking that a law career seemed less narrow than being a professor, which is the route I would have most likely followed otherwise. “I’d say playing well in the sandbox is one of the hall-
marks of my success,” she says. “I’m a good team leader who has been privileged to work with some fi rst-rate teams. I enjoy fostering an atmosphere in which people work hard to generate great results, and I think clients take notice and appreciate what we do for them.”
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 DIVERSITY & THE BAR®
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