We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Glick-Atalla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
One of the main focus areas of my law practice is forming and representing all different types of nonprofit organizations and charities. In addition to serving as outside counsel to nonprofit organizations and helping them stay in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, I advise nonprofit Boards of Directors on governance policies, conflicts of interest, compensation strategies, and other transactional matters. It gives me great joy to be able to help people plant seeds that eventually grow into organizations that are affecting change all over the world. I work with nonprofits both large and small, with a wide range of purposes, including animal rescues, educational nonprofits such as schools and after-school programs, arts and musical groups, environmental causes, and more. Every charity that I work with is different, and impacts society in its own unique way. The diversity of my nonprofit clients is what makes each day at the office both exciting and motivating, and I look forward to forming and advising new and established charities in the years ahead. For the past four years I have also proudly served on the Board of Trustees of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, which provides legal education, networking, community service, and referral opportunities to attorneys and other professionals in the legal industry. I look forward to continuing to serve the Bar in future years.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When I began working with my dad and gearing up to take over his law practice, I was often in his shadow both in client and networking meetings. My dad is a well known and respected attorney in our field of practice, and it was difficult at first for me to stand on my own without leaning on his reputation. However after a few years of flying solo and building my own reputation and confidence, I became more and more comfortable with clients and colleagues. Eventually I was able to demonstrate my own knowledge of the law without needing to fall back on my dad’s expertise. This comfort level grew naturally over time as I gained experience in my practice areas. Now that I have been practicing law for over ten years, what sets me apart from others is the depth of my legal experience as well as the wealth of knowledge that has been passed down to me from my dad, which I continue to draw upon when advising clients. I have learned that it is not enough to have either a strong knowledge of the law or experience practicing law – both are needed in order to provide the level of service that my clients expect (and deserve). I pride myself on being the kind of attorney that I would want representing me – responsive, knowledgable, experienced, and sensitive to each client’s unique needs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The three E’s: Exercise – Hike in Runyon Canyon Park, Hollywood sign hike in Griffith Park, hike in Fryman Canyon, walk on the strand in Hermosa Beach, walk around Lake Balboa (especially when the cherry trees are in bloom). Experience – Hollywood Bowl, Cinespia Movie Screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Universal Studios, LACMA, Santa Monica Pier, drive along PCH, Descanso Gardens, Getty Villa, Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach. Eat – Sushi at Iroha Sushi, pizza at Mozza in Hollywood, lebanese food at Hayat’s Kitchen in North Hollywood, tea at the Huntington Rose Garden Tea Room, burgers at In N Out, Armenian food at Mantee Cafe, drinks at Laurel Tavern, Brunch at the Front Yard. Most of these places are in my beloved neighborhood of Studio City.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My father Marshall is an attorney and he had always encouraged me to become a lawyer and told me how much he enjoyed practicing law. After I graduated from law school my dad asked me to come and work with him at his law firm. Deep down I think we both always knew that we would end up working together, but at that time I didn’t realize just how lucky I was to have this incredible opportunity. My dad went out on his own when I was two years old, and he was a sole practitioner up until the day that I joined him. From day one he brought me in on every telephone call and meeting, had me draft every document, and taught me everything he knew about his practice areas from his 50+ years of serving his clients. I had the kind of hands-on learning experience that first-year associates at big law firms dream of – and it happened to be with someone I greatly admired and respected. After working together for a few years my dad started scaling back his time at the office, while I ramped up my time both at the office and at business networking events. Eventually, I took over the practice completely and moved my office to Sherman Oaks, where I have been for the past five years. I still call my dad and pick his brain about legal issues, and we enjoy challenging each other’s thought processes. I will forwever be grateful for his mentorship and patience in teaching me about not just the practice of law, but the practice of prividing clients with personal and attentive service.

Website: www.glicklaw.com
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/heatherglick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GLICKATALLA/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/glick-atalla-a-professional-law-corporation-sherman-oaks

Image Credits
Michal Pfeil Ron Murray

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