Setting an example of leadership is easier said than done. It involves a dedicated individual to set a standard that urges others to replicate the same.
Jinhee Wilde, Founding Partner of WA Law Group, is one such pioneering example of a leader who makes her mark among her subordinates by leading by example. According to her, “A true leader is one who would lead by example instead of “do what I say, not as I do” type of person.”
The Fortune Leader Magazine proudly looks at the story of Jinhee Wilde and her journey towards becoming a leading attorney.
Early Years
Jinhee came to America during her teenage years. Being a minority woman with little knowledge of the English language, she faced much discrimination. Moreover, the cultural shock and discrimination made it more difficult for Jinhee.
“Being made fun of because I spoke halting English or my eyes looked slanted showed me that advocating for myself was very important,” recalls Jinhee.
As Jinhee grew up, she noticed this systemic racism against people who did not know how to speak up for themselves. She made a conscious choice to be the voice for these people through her actions.
Ensuring Client Satisfaction
Prior to starting WA Law Group, Jinhee was a partner at a few large as well as small law firms. Based on her experience, she mentions “I saw that law business focused too much on billable hours and profits of the law firm instead of providing exceptional customer service to the clients.”
Jinhee Wilde established WA Law Group with a single goal in her mind – to treat clients the way we would like to be treated ourselves. She understands that treating clients with utmost respect and bringing them success/approvals through her solutions would enable referrals for additional clients.
She points out an age-old jargon used in the Real Estate industry – if you build it, people will come.
The immigration process of the US is one that is extremely long and arduous. Jinhee claims that “It can also be very subjective with a lot of discretion given to the adjudicator. Although same criteria are met, the probative value of the evidence could be seen differently depending on the individual looking at it.”
Her job as a lawyer is to present each case with a detailed explanation for how the adjudicators should see the evidence in the same view/light, thereby making it as easy as possible for them.
At WA Law Group, Jinhee and her team have established a process that enables optimal client satisfaction in every step of the way. The team takes time to answer its clients’ questions via phone and emails within a 24-hour period, even if that might be just to acknowledge to the client about the communication.
As an immigrant herself, Jinhee understands how stressful not knowing or understanding the immigration status can be. “We don’t count billable hours for every email or phone calls with our clients so that we could take time to explain and assure them of their case progress. Again, doing what is right for our clients resulted in more business for our firm.”
The Journey
Jinhee’s journey from shifting to America, entering the field of Law, and subsequently setting up WA Law Group has been riddled with challenges. Moreover, her background also made it difficult for her to find a mentor who would guide her or groom her along this journey.
She recalls, “My work has been discounted and my ideas totally ignored by some partners, while some white male counterparts went out golfing with them and leapfrogged over me.”
Jinhee mentions that at the end of the day, she had to take detours and backtrack on her decisions and actions several times to get to the point where she is today. Further, she hoped that doing the right things for her clients even at the expense of short periods of financial loss would eventually all come together to ensure consistent profits.
This passionate attorney asserts, “Doing the right thing allows me to hold my head up high with no regrets – money comes and goes, but my integrity is forever.”
Looking back at her journey, Jinhee mentions that she would have set-up WA Law Group much sooner, instead of working with partners who did not appreciate her work or efforts.
From her own experiences, she advises emerging attorneys to look for a mentor who understands and supports their ideas and to be not afraid of striking out on your own path.
The Future
Talking about the future of WA Law Group, she claims “Our firm continues to grow even with the immigration practice that is contingent on the fickle administration policies, which is a testament to our clients’ loyalty and referrals.”
In the coming years, Jinhee Wilde and her team will continue to provide the exceptional service that they have been known for. Furthermore, she wants to maintain the stellar approval track of her firm in order to help more immigrants who suffer through this tiresome process.
Read full magazine: 10 Best Successful Business Leaders Making a Difference
