Gnim Bazim takes nothing for granted, and he doesn’t mind telling you just how grateful he is to be exactly where he’s at.
“I was born in a different country. I came here when I was young, grew up in the Bronx, in a single-parent household. I never really thought I would have been in the shoes and position I am now,” said Gnim, an attorney in Goldberg Segalla’s Retail and Hospitality practice group. “I’m really happy here. I think it shows and hopefully other people looking at me maybe feel inspired seeing that. I just try to share that positivity every day.”
Born in the West African nation of Togo and raised by a single mother, a legal career wasn’t necessarily on Gnim’s radar while growing up. But then in high school, fate intervened. And as they say, the rest is history.
“I always knew I wanted to help people. My mom was in the medical field. She helped people every day and I saw that through her work,” said Gnim. “I went to high school thinking I wanted to become a doctor. However, I took a class where I learned all about the Constitution. I learned about the Bill of Rights. I had the opportunity to go to the Supreme Court and that was an eye-opening experience to see an oral argument, to see lawyers advocate for their clients. And then I had the opportunity to meet a Supreme Court justice and learn about their path.”
With his interest in the legal profession growing, Gnim went to work as an intern with a firm in New York City. He then decided to apply to Fordham University’s School of Law.
“I got in, loved it, loved my classes, loved my summer programs and that’s how I got to where I am today.”
Now based in Goldberg Segalla’s Manhattan office, Gnim handles a wide range of matters in the civil litigation and retail arenas, including cases that range from premises liability and negligent security to personal injury.
“I love solving problems,” said Gnim. “I love talking to my adversaries and trying to work things out, talking to clients, investigating. Every day you learn something new. No day’s the same as the day before.”
Gnim said at Goldberg Segalla he’s been afforded the “freedom and flexibility” to develop and shape his career while at the same time having access to, and being guided by, experienced and accomplished mentors such as partners Emilio F. Grillo and J. Daniel Velez, two widely renowned litigators. Gnim also credits partners Jennifer L. Budner, Matthew G. Miller and Joseph A. Oliva, adding they too have been instrumental in his professional development.
“During my recruitment call with Goldberg Segalla, I just knew that this place was different. Emilio and Danny were on that call and I just I knew I wanted to work for them,” said Gnim. “I love the people here and I think it’s the people that sets this firm apart from others. Obviously, you can have some difficult days because of the work, but at the end of the day you feel supported. There are a lot of positive things about Goldberg Segalla, but I think the culture and the people are what makes it such a great place to work. I love coming into the office.”
Gnim said his approach to client service has been defined by what he’s observed from the experienced partners around him: Putting client needs first and maintaining an open line of communication throughout the entirety of a case.
“I keep my clients updated on what’s going on. After every major development, after every court appearance, I email them, give them a report. That builds trust. They know that they have an attorney that’s capable. You want them to feel confident in your ability.”
That transparency, Gnim said, also applies to billing.
“It’s important for clients to know that we’re billing in a way that is appropriate and trustworthy,” he said. “When you’re doing billing, be specific as to what exactly you are doing: Which documents you’re looking at, how many pages. That also builds trust because they know you’re doing the work and you’re putting the right amount of time in per task. I don’t think there’s anything more important than for the client to know that they’re not wasting their money.”
Especially critical, Gnim said, is ensuring a client’s goals are understood at the very beginning of a case. No two clients, he said, are the same.
“There may be a case where it seems like there’s no liability, like it should be a slam dunk win for us,” he said. But instead, “the client’s goal is to end this dispute early and get out of this case early because they just don’t want to go through a long civil litigation dispute. It all goes back to the goal of the client.”
The firm’s commitment to client-first service is something that Gnim characterized as the “Goldberg Segalla standard.”
“The attorneys I work with, they do it right. They’re all great at their jobs and they’re all professional,” said Gnim. “What motivates me is growth. Every day, I’m learning something new here that makes me grow as a professional. I’m grateful.”
And, Gnim added, while there remains a shortage of attorneys of color in the profession as a whole, he said he’s also grateful to be with a firm that’s committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring there is opportunity for everyone no matter their background and that all voices are heard.
“I’m grateful being here at Goldberg Segalla,” Gnim said. “I’m grateful for there being black attorneys here who I can look up to and say, ‘I want to be like this person.’ You want to feel welcomed, and I do feel welcomed here. I’m privileged being where I am today.”