NYCREW member, Barbara Champoux, discusses her career

Name: Barbara Champoux, Esq. Title: Partner Company/firm: Crowell & Moring LLP Years with company/firm: 1 Years in field: 20 Years in real estate industry: 20 Address: 590 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Telephone: 212.895.4233 Email: [email protected] URL: www.crowell.com Responsibilities include: Oversee the firm's real estate practice; originate new business; train and mentor young associates. Real estate organizations / affiliations: CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women); WX; NYCREW Network; Municipal Art Society What was the best decision that you made in the last year? Changing firms, despite the challenging economy, for a more entrepreneurial and value-based billing approach to client service. I believe those two elements have been critical in my ability to adapt to new business models clients are implementing in order to survive and thrive in distressed markets. Among other things, this new environment has facilitated the ability to be flexible and nimble in solving clients' needs in a manner which is creative, efficient and cost-effective. It also encourages investing time and energy in the clients' businesses and the industries in which they operate, so as to better understand and anticipate those needs. Who has been the strongest influence on your career and why? The general counsel of a long-standing client has had the strongest influence on my career. He was a partner, and I an associate, when we started working on deals together. I soon realized he was not only incredibly bright, quick and pragmatic, but willing to answer any and all questions, whether or not relevant to my role. As a result, I acquired both a valuable legal education, and a greater understanding of the business perspective, allowing me to more effectively represent my clients. Furthermore, after going in-house, his continued support, mentoring and confidence in my legal, business and management skills have allowed me to pursue some wonderful opportunities, and being a deal junky, to get my regular deal fix. What impact has social networking had on your success? Social networking has allowed me to provide value to clients in several ways, including: accessing potential resources (e.g., partners, lenders, investors, clients, etc.) for the client; a ready "brain bank" of relevant experts providing valuable feedback, insight and innovation; and a reliable referral source. Time is a valuable commodity, however, so creating and preserving a quality network is key, requiring a periodic assessment and prioritization of, and investment in, the relationships. It is also important to realize that developing a truly effective network often involves "paying it forward" - not looking for immediate payback, but genuinely providing value without a hook.