Who are you, and what do you do?
I am Alexander Petraglia. I am a trial lawyer in the Cincinnati Tristate area.
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
When I was growing up and playing sports, my father would always tell me to leave everything on the field. I have tried to bring that intensity to my practice of law. When I take a case, I give my clients my all.
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
Over the next ten years, I expect that the legal field will undergo enormous changes to increase access to Courts. As the rest of the world moves faster and faster, the legal community has stagnated in providing quick, efficient, and fair resolutions to legal disputes. I expect there to be an increased emphasis on mediation and other methods that allow parties to resolve their disputes in a fast and efficient manner.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
Often young lawyers are told to pay their dues. While it is always important to learn and be mentored by attorneys with more experience, I have always pushed myself to practice at the highest level possible. It is easy in the legal field to coast, but it certainly is not the most client-centered way to practice law.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
Deters Law has enjoyed tremendous success over the past two years, and it has allowed us to become more selective about which cases we can take.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
I love to read biographies. One of my favorite biographies is Lincoln by David Herbert Donald.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
A young lawyer should seek out an opportunity to learn from phenomenal attorneys in their field and to practice law. It is important to get into the courtroom and try cases.
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
― Abraham Lincoln