June Member of the Month: Danielle E. LaGuerre
Trust and Estates Associate; Bank of America
1. Tell us briefly what a typical work day is like for you.
A typical day at work for me is working on Estate Planning for various clients and making determinations on whether it is a piece of business that Bank of America/Merrill Lynch is willing to accept. This also includes working on and reviewing the language in their governing documents.
2. What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the exposure to a variety of different estate plans. I love to see the different ways families plan for the next generation and beyond. It gets interesting reading the different ways families decide to have assets distributed. I also enjoy learning how certain language in governing
documents in relation to distributing assets could be problematic with a corporate fiduciary.
3. What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia?
What I enjoy most about being a member of the Barristers’ is knowing that I have a community of like-minded individuals who look like me as a resource, not only for myself, but the community as well.
4. What do you believe has been your most important personal attribute in your legal career?
As I volunteer within my community and have conversations with friends, family, peers, and strangers about Estate Planning; spreading that knowledge has become more important to me. The concept of “generational wealth” has become a goal for many but there remains a gap in the knowledge. Knowing that, I am exploring ways to fill those gaps. It is alarming how a large portion of the community are still not aware of the importance of an estate plan and the lack of a more in depth look of what it really entails. Nevertheless, the goal is to continue shifting the paradigm.
5. What has been the best moment of your career thus far?
This may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was. The best moment of my career thus far was hearing from my Team Lead how my superior felt about me, “Danielle is a rising star!” Now I understand her eagerness to for me to advance. Although I have no desire to sit for another exam, I realize it would be an accomplishment and advancement towards my career aspirations.
6. If you hit the lottery tonight, where could we find you tomorrow?
If I won the lottery tonight, you would still find me working from home being dedicated to my career and simultaneously planning out the fruits of my winnings.
7. What artists are you listening to now?
A few artists that I am listening to now are: 6lack, Snoh Aalegra, and DVSN
8. What is your favorite restaurant in the Philadelphia area?
The Dandelion is my favorite restaurant in the Philadelphia area because they have the best cauliflower.
9. If you had a chance to give out your own award, who would you recognize?
If I had the chance to give out my own award, I would recognize my dad. My dad is a native of Haiti and like many other immigrants he came to the states for better opportunities. I admire my dad’s love for his family and how all his decisions and actions were solely for the benefit of his family. I learned recently that my dad made the decision to not pursue truck driving when he first arrive in the U.S. He knew truck driving was a very demanding career and requires large periods of time away from his family and that was not a sacrifice he was willing to make. Knowing that, makes me feel even closer to my dad and the reason why I am who I am today – driven, ambitions and family oriented. I tend to wonder how my life would have been and what type of person I would be had my dad chosen a life on the road. A father daughter bond is truly something special and I thank him for making that sacrifice for us, because I had the honor of fully experiencing that type of bond.
10. What advice would you give to members of the Barristers?
I would advise Barristers to fully embrace who you are. You will get a ton of advice, opinions, and perspectives, but the moment you discover your own voice you will flourish in your passion.