INTRODUCING ANTHONY (A.J.) BATTAGLIA, ESQ.
A.J. Battaglia, Esq., of Battaglia & Waltari in San Diego relishes working directly with clients and considers empathy an essential quality of a good lawyer. A.J. loves to spend time outdoors with his family. Read on to find out about an unusual hobby he has recently taken up.
I always knew that I wanted to work in a profession where I could help people through difficult and uncertain situations, especially those who were unable to help and advocate for themselves. It was also important for me to have a career where I could develop strong interpersonal relationships with clients. So, becoming a lawyer and practicing in this area was a perfect fit.
There are several things that keep me excited by this area of practice, but a couple stand out. First is that I get to work with our clients daily. Whether it is through emails, phone calls, or (Zoom) appointments, having a significant part of each day dedicated to working with clients is something I look forward to. Second is that I enjoy the challenge of learning something new every day. Special needs planning and public benefits law is a very challenging, yet rewarding practice, and each day provides me with an opportunity to learn something new.
Attempting to encapsulate our area of practice to someone that is unfamiliar is not easy to do. However, I do my best to explain that our practice involves helping families establish a comprehensive plan for a loved one with special needs, which inevitably leads to more questions about our practice. I always conclude the description by telling people that this is the most rewarding area of law to practice in, but, of course, I might be a little biased.
I took a practical skills course in law school, which taught me a lot about “how to” be a lawyer. Something that still resonates with me today was our class discussion/lesson on empathy. My professor explained to us that as a law student and future lawyer, it is easy to get caught up in the legal issues in your case. However, to properly and effectively represent your clients, it is imperative to understand their position and be able to put yourself in their shoes. Several years later, I still think about this discussion and how it could not be more relevant to our practice. Whenever I am meeting and advising clients, I always remember to put myself in their position, which has made me a more successful lawyer.
I would spend it enjoying the outdoors with my wife, Alexa, and dog, Canyon. We are always looking for something fun to do to take advantage of the great weather in San Diego.
I compete in dog agility competitions with my dog, Canyon. Dog agility competitions involve the handler directing the dog through an obstacle course. The handler must memorize the course before the competition, because the dog does not know where to go. The course includes jumps, weave poles and other contact obstacles, and each course has between 15-20 obstacles. We have been competing in local competitions for about a year.