Garcia finds helping hands

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Finding the right mentors has been crucial to Carina Garcia’s success.

Garcia, who joined Petrie & Stocking SC in Milwaukee earlier this year after five years with Cramer Multhauf & Hammes LLP, Waukesha, said she frequently turns to other attorneys when she needs guidance in her work as a corporate business and estate attorney.

“I have been so fortunate to have great mentors here and at my previous firm, who have been there and given me opportunities that I might not have otherwise had,” she said.

Early on, Garcia said, John Remmers from Cramer Multhauf & Hammes gave her a chance.

“As a young attorney, he let me get involved in cases that I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to work on,” she said. “They really gave me a great foundation to later lead similar cases on my own.”

Today, when she has questions about corporate law, she asks James Petrie, the senior attorney at Petrie & Stocking.

“He’s amazing,” Garcia said. “He’s 84, but still comes in the office every day and has a wealth of knowledge. I’ve learned so much from him.”

And for questions about estate planning, she turns to firm vice president Laura Petrie, who praised Garcia for her energy and enthusiasm.

“She is not afraid of hard work and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done right,” Petrie said. “Carina is both fun to be around and extremely smart; a winning combination.”

Garcia said she enjoys the challenges that business law provides, such as working with closely-held firms where family members may not always get along.

“Working with family businesses is sometimes like being a therapist,” she said. “Sometimes, they’ll call up and just vent to me for 15 minutes or so about this or that, but then we’ll move on because at the end of the day, everyone wants the business to be successful.”

Garcia works with all kinds of businesses, from service providers to manufacturers.

“There’s a great variety and it’s fun to learn about so many different industries, but while they are different they have a lot in common,” she said.

And when unusual situations or tough questions pop up, she knows who to call.