Get to know Elitza at a glance:
- 30+ years of experience
- Senior counsel at a major health care sector company supporting M&A and IT transactional contracts
- Axiom engagement focused on M&A, due diligence, and integration at an F200 pharmaceutical company
Axiom lawyer Elitza's approach to legal practice combines professional excellence with a pragmatic approach to serving her clients in a timely manner. "In competitive business sectors, providing accurate advice with the ability to respond quickly is required – a late answer is often worthless,” she says of her work in the hospitality, health care, and life sciences industries. Her thirty-plus years in the legal industry has been distinguished by the ability to pivot quickly and efficiently, both essential attributes in today's business climate.
Over several decades, Elitza has brought a continuous improvement mindset to her practice, and has developed her legal skill set across diverse industries. "I've been in various industries, from health care to hospitality, insurance, steel, and consumer goods. I've also supported specialty pharmacy, and helped support the business partner of a network of community oncologists," she notes.
Elitza approached law school with a mind for criminal law and an interest in business that grew into a focus on transactional work. "I like solving problems and helping build things, and I landed at the intersection of business and law doing a lot of transactional work," explains Elitza.
Today Elitza uses her decades of experience to negotiate agreements in the health care and biopharmaceutical sectors, most recently focusing on IT integration.
Working for Axiom has enabled her to have career flexibility and do legal work she truly enjoys. "I joined Axiom to be able to couple the flexibility needed for work-life balance with short-term assignments that allow me to support client needs for responsive, quality legal work with full commitment and intensity." Elitza’s passion for law continues, and Axiom enables her to work with clients who can benefit from her years of experience.
With her love of legal work also comes a profound passion for helping people. Elitza has over 20 years of experience as a New Jersey volunteer EMT and served as a CPR and EMS educator. In addition to having directly assisted people in need as an EMT, she herself has provided pro bono legal services in New Jersey and Texas, served on the Board of Directors of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice – a New Jersey based nonprofit – and continues pro bono legal work, most recently focusing on guardianship.
Supporting integration at a pharmaceutical leader
Elitza began her Axiom engagement as part of a team of a dozen Axiom lawyers completing due diligence work, including reviews of complex agreements, supporting a major pharmaceutical company merger. She then pivoted to supporting the post-merger integration work at the same company, including negotiating IT agreements for their newly-combined operations.
"I quit my job to join Axiom," says Elitza. She values the opportunity to explore meaningful projects with which she can have a significant and positive impact, with the flexibility to periodically step away and focus on personal interests. Axiom matches her with clients who will benefit from her skills and experience in a way that will create a strong, beneficial relationship for all parties.
Throughout the pandemic, Elitza has been able to continue to provide her client with legal services, informed by years of experience in industry-leading, fast-paced companies, and to negotiate contracts efficiently and effectively.
Building a legal community
"When I started, people used to think if you were a good lawyer, you would go to one firm, you would be there your whole life. And there are so many more options now. Axiom is one of those places where I think it's valuable for people to have different options that they may want to explore at different points in their career," Elitza observes.
Elitza continues to respect where she has come from and where she continues to grow, stating, "While you're reaching forward, always reach back and bring people with you." She is a true teacher at heart, nurturing the talents of many and paving the way for future successors.
Thanks to Axiom’s model, she can commit herself to the legal projects she chooses, without a long-term commitment to 60-hour workweeks. Axiom has offered Elitza the opportunity to explore engagements that also allow her time to travel (when it’s safe to do so) and volunteer.
In addition to travel, Elitza has a strong interest in baking, which she combined with her profession as the co-founder of a local Law Bakers group, which brings lawyers together to enjoy the camaraderie and fun of baking together. She continues to devote time to giving back, including her recent work in pro bono guardianship cases.
She also uses her experience to mentor more junior lawyers in the direction of following their passions and getting where they need to be. "I'm really thinking now about how I can help newer generations of lawyers to navigate their careers, and finding opportunities to be supportive.”
Towards a more human legal industry
In an environment where the legal industry must adapt quickly to the ever-changing business climate, Elitza expresses the importance of communication and support.
"There's been a lot more attention to the human aspect of lawyering and the environment that we work in. The more that attorneys are collegial and supportive of each other, as well as supporting the client, I think the more enjoyable the practice of law will be for people, and it will encourage them to want to stay. I also think it’s healthier for people to have real colleagues, not just coworkers."
To work with experienced, passionate lawyer like Elitza, get in touch with us at Axiom.