Page 36 - San Diego Woman Magazine POWER WOMEN ISSUE

Power Women

Danielle Humphries

TREATING CLIENTS LIKE FAMILY

By Judith A. Habert

Photos By Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions

that aspect of her father’s practice. “One ing forward to beginning a family, they
of my dad’s clients had no family so we decided to make the move back to San
would go over to her house at Christmas Diego to be closer to Danielle’s family.
and bring her home-baked cookies from Fast forward to her current position
Mom’s kitchen. We helped her with gar- with Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, where
dening and ran errands for her. My dad Danielle is a partner and Chair of the
just really cared about his clients.” Firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice in San
In college, Danielle sought oppor- Diego. Danielle joined Hahn Loeser five
tunities to work with other types of law years ago and launched the Firm’s Trusts
firms, wanting to be certain that trust and and Estates Practice. As a full-service law
estate planning law was truly her passion. firm representing clients from offices in
Ironically, the first law firm she would San Diego, Cleveland, Columbus, Naples,
work for outside of her dad’s would be Fort Myers, and Chicago, Hahn Loeser
another estate planning firm. has approximately 120 attorneys and
“While attending college, I was hired has proudly served clients for nearly 100
by a female estate planning attorney in years. “Why Hahn Loeser? I was looking
Dallas, Texas. On my very first day, I for a firm that would provide a more ro-
was asked to balance her checkbook and bust platform for my practice. I knew how
pick her child up from school. Initially, I wanted to develop a trusts and estates
There are certain characteristics I helped her with these types of routine practice and Hahn Loeser provided me
thought to be shared by first-born chil- tasks. By the end of college, I had earned the opportunity to build it the way I envi-
dren. They tend to be reliable, conscien- her trust and become her right hand. I sioned. I also was drawn to Hahn Loeser
tious, structured, in control, and quite sat in meetings with her with high-net- because of their willingness to support my
often, goal-oriented. Accustomed to adult worth individuals and high-profile sports community efforts.”
company, they sometimes act like mini- figures. “I found I was challenged by the What Danielle loves most about her
adults, are not afraid of accepting respon- complexity of their estates and enjoyed practice is the ability to help each of her
sibility, and often strive to be the best at the challenges. It was very intellectually clients in whatever manner they require.
everything they do. stimulating. The combination of my ex- “No two clients have the same needs
After spending time with Danielle perience with my dad followed by my ex- and that is part of what I love about my
Humphries, it was obvious that she perience in this first position truly shaped job. I review all of my clients’ needs and
possesses these characteristics. During what I wanted to do with my career.” devise a strategy that will provide the best
our interview, she revealed that she was After law school in San Diego, Dan- possible outcome. If a client is involved
the oldest of seven children. I instantly ielle was lured back to Dallas to practice in a real estate transaction, for example,
understood her better. with the firm that she had worked for I am immersed in the deal, coordinating
Born in the small town of Upland, initially. Danielle knew it was a great advice and services across real estate,
California the daughter of a teacher and opportunity and was determined to find tax, business, and estate planning issues
a lawyer, Danielle was just five years old a way to make it work. “It was rough. I and needs. If I have a client who was
when she started working in her father’s was finishing up law school when I got left a large sum of money, I view it as
estate planning practice. She may have the Dallas job offer. My husband still had my responsibility to be certain that they
started out shredding papers, but her a year to go on his MBA in San Diego. We are not preyed upon, due to their new
responsibilities would grow as she con- got married, I graduated, and like a lot of circumstances. If a client is called upon to
tinued working for her dad’s law practice two-career couples we decided that being be a trustee, I will guide them through the
throughout her school years. apart for a year was the only way for both process. Overnight, individuals can end
Danielle’s dad wasn’t your typical of us to excel in our careers, so I went to up in the position of being asked to be a
estate planning attorney. He was there to Dallas while he finished up in San Diego.” trustee and to manage millions of dollars
take care of his clients and Danielle loved A few years later when they started look- of wealth, when maybe they had not

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