Building trust, finding balance: The relationships that shape my career and my life

Viviana Africano, Director of PGP's Tax Practice is a member of the Committee of the Primerus Women Lawyers Section, a global initiative that promotes the strengthening of professional networks among female lawyers, the exchange of ideas on topics of interest to women in the legal profession, and the development of future leaders within Primerus and the legal sector.

Recently, Viviana contributed to Lady Justice magazine with an article where she explains how building a legal career involves harmonizing multiple responsibilities through trust and the support of those around us. Her reflection demonstrates that professional achievements stem from a leadership focused on understanding the people behind the lawyers.

We invite you to read the full article:

 

Viviana Africano is director of tax law practice at Pinilla, González & Prieto Abogados (PGP Abogados). With more than 15 years of experience, she advises clients on domestic and international tax law, tax planning and litigation, cross-border transactions, foreign exchange matters, and wealth and estate planning across a wide range of industries. She holds a master’s degree in international business law.

For many women, pursuing a legal career means navigating multiple responsibilities at once. This is not about comparing the challenges faced by women and men. Rather, it is about acknowledging the reality that many women aspire to thrive simultaneously as professionals, leaders, partners, daughters, friends and, for some of us, mothers.

Looking back, I realize that finding harmony among those roles has been one of the greatest lessons of my career. More importantly, I have learned that no one achieves that balance alone.

One truth has remained constant throughout my professional life: every defining opportunity I have received has come because someone believed in me, placed confidence in my abilities, or encouraged me to step beyond my comfort zone. Those moments did more than open professional doors – they strengthened my own confidence.

Believing in yourself is indispensable. Equally important, however, is having people who recognize your potential, challenge you to grow, and stand beside you when uncertainty appears.

If my career has taught me anything, it is that trust, combined with genuine commitment to one's work, forms the foundation of every lasting professional relationship. When that trust exists, teams become stronger, collaboration becomes easier, and achievements that once seemed ambitious become entirely possible.

That conviction has profoundly influenced the way I lead.

Throughout the years, I have worked with leaders whose management styles were very different. Those who influenced me the most were not necessarily the most demanding or technically brilliant. They were the ones who invested time in understanding the people behind the professionals. They recognized that developing excellent lawyers also means helping individuals build confidence, judgment, and character.

Today, I strive to offer that same experience to those around me. Leadership goes far beyond assigning responsibilities or supervising work. It means creating an environment where people feel respected, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. As life evolves, priorities naturally change.

At the beginning of my career, my attention was centered on mastering tax law, continuing my academic education, and building the technical foundation that my profession required. Outside the office, I intentionally made time for activities that helped me maintain perspective, including sports and personal interests.

As my career has progressed, my perspective has evolved as well. Professional responsibilities have expanded, but the importance of the relationships that sustain me has grown even more. My husband, my children, my parents, my siblings, my colleagues, my mentors, my clients, and my friends each contribute to the person I continue to become.

I have realized that investing in those connections is not separate from professional success. It is one of its essential conditions.

When those closest to me are thriving, I find greater peace of mind. That sense of stability allows me to devote my attention fully to each responsibility I embrace – whether serving my clients, leading my team, continuing to learn, or fulfilling my roles as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, colleague and friend. The same principle guides my family life.

Knowing that I can rely on others allows me to be fully present with my family instead of simply being physically present. It allows me to leave work at work. It reminds me that the quality of our time together matters far more than the number of hours we share.

It also gives me the confidence to seek the support my daughter needs to flourish emotionally and physically while nurturing the experiences that matter most to her. As we prepare to welcome another child into our family, I know that lesson will become even more meaningful.

For me, balance has never meant dividing my time equally among competing responsibilities. Rather, it has meant recognizing what deserves my attention at each stage of life and trusting that the people around me help make that possible.

I have come to understand that none of the achievements I value most were built through individual effort alone. They have been shaped by trust, strengthened by generosity, and sustained by the extraordinary people who have accompanied me throughout my journey.

That realization continues to inspire me every day – not only to become a better lawyer and leader, but also to build a life where professional achievement and personal fulfillment reinforce one another.