Q&A with Craig
Q: How has your previous career shaped the way you advise clients today?
A: My experience as an options floor trader at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, trading my own money and running my own business, has provided me with a tremendous amount of insight into my clients’ businesses. I had to make hundreds of decisions daily, with each one having a direct monetary consequence. Accordingly, I am not afraid to give my opinion to a client.
Q: What’s your approach to negotiation and client advocacy?
A: I do whatever I can to get clients what they want. To get them the results they need, but at the same recognizing the other party’s interests and goals and finding creative ways to reach agreement.
Q: Can you share an example of a time you used your diverse background to solve a client issue?
A: I was able to come up with a creative solution, combining my background in tax along with my real estate expertise, that gave him the tax protection he needed. Even though I’m not a tax practitioner, I look at everything from a holistic approach.
Q: What does returning to Greenberg Glusker mean to you?
A: I always regretted leaving Greenberg Glusker and when I had the opportunity to come back here as a partner, I was very happy. There are still a lot of people here today that were here when I left in 1989. When people ask, ‘What is it like today?’ I say, ‘The lawyers are much smarter and better than I remembered.’
Q: How does your entrepreneurial past influence your practice?
A: The entrepreneurial empathy I developed running my own derivatives trading company—“sleepless nights worrying about where the market’s going, personal experiences that a lot of lawyers don’t have”—motivates me to dig deep to solve my clients’ problems and get deals done. I know how to think like an entrepreneur. In most cases I’m able to see the risk/reward the client sees, and identify what might be overlooked.
