Meet the officer: Diego de San Simón

Diego de San Simón
San Simón & Duch, Madrid
Website Officer
diego.sansimon@lsansimon.com

1. How did you get into the law/your area of practice? Why did you become a lawyer?

It comes from afar and, in some ways, from family tradition, as my father, Luis de San Simón – whom I have admired since I was a child – is also a maritime lawyer. So, when I was a child and looked at my father, I would tell myself that I wanted to become a lawyer like him.

2. If you were not a lawyer, what would you do?

I would work in the field of international relations as a diplomat – fortunately, our professions share many overlapping aspects.

3. What advice would you give to someone new to your area of practice/your jurisdiction/being a lawyer?

Enjoy it and stay 100 per cent focused. This is a fascinating profession in an exciting industry that ensures you are never bored for a single day. At the same time, it is very demanding and does not allow for half measures. If someone is not fully convinced, it is better to step aside and let the next person take the opportunity.

4. What area of your work do you enjoy the most / the least?

What I enjoy most is advising clients on cross-border matters, where different jurisdictions and legal systems each have something to say, which makes the matter all the more challenging.

What I enjoy least is when, on some occasions (fortunately, only rarely), a client does not value the work and effort involved and simply assumes the matter was straightforward and that if we were successful, it was because it was ‘meant to be’. I like to commit 100 per cent to the matter and to the client.

5. What are the current challenges facing your area of practice?

I think the current main challenge is, without a doubt, AI, which is completely changing the paradigm and the way we work. I believe it is an extraordinary tool that is reshaping the rules of the game and expanding possibilities exponentially – not only within the legal sector, but across any industry. However, at the same time, it is a major challenge for every lawyer, because I think you need to know how to use it and strike the right balance between AI as a tool and the techniques we used before. This is especially true for younger lawyers, who need to be made aware that AI is precisely a tool and cannot replace the study, hard work, and daily dedication that every lawyer must demand of themselves.

6. What has been the biggest challenge of your career? How did you overcome it?

Tough question. Rather than a specific event, I think the biggest challenge is always dealing with the client and making each one feel truly special. I always say that to provide the best possible service, you must make the client feel as if their matter were the only and most important case you are handling at that moment, no matter how small it may be. That is definitely, in my view, the biggest challenge.

7. If you could put together a wish list of changes you would bring about in the profession, or to your area of practice, what would you include?

I am a fairly optimistic person and I like to see the positive side of things, but if I had to change something or make a list of changes, it would be to improve and shorten the timeframes of the justice system. Generally speaking, our judges are good and we have a high level of legal knowledge, but there are certainly times when, for the client’s sake, I wish things moved a bit faster when it comes to the administration of justice.

8. What do you do in your free time? How do you relax?

I try to spend as much time as possible with my wife and three daughters, and with the rest of my family (parents, six siblings, and more than 30 cousins – very much a typical large Spanish family). I consider myself a sociable person, so I also like to spend part of my free time with friends, going to a good restaurant, and so on. I also try to set aside time for reading, practicing sports and going to the gym.

Editors

Sarah Gahlen
sarah.gahlen@lebuhn.de

Maria Belén Espiñeira
mbe@espineiralawyers.com