Why have you chosen to make your career at Husch Blackwell?
I had spent 11 years practicing at a regional law firm in Boston. Coincidentally, one of the firms I worked with closely over the years was Husch Blackwell, which was national counsel for some of our clients and also local counsel for some of the clients I represented nationally. Through this relationship, I developed immense respect for the quality of the lawyers I worked with at the firm, both from their work product as well as the type of people they were.
Husch Blackwell needed a boots-on-the-ground ally to provide better representation in Massachusetts where it saw increased client needs, but where it didn’t yet have an office. (Husch Blackwell has since established offices in Boston and Providence). That was of interest to me – I would be a pioneer, one of the first to start Husch Blackwell’s litigation practice in the Northeast. From what I could see, it seemed like a culture that appreciated work-life balance but also was an Am Law powerhouse. When the position opened, I jumped at the chance.
I’ve been embraced by my team and I’ve hit the ground running. I am currently responsible for leading a team that coordinates the defense strategies in complex, high-stakes civil litigation matters filed against a number of our clients in the Northeast.
Describe your experience working as part of The Link, the firm’s virtual office.
It was a little unnerving to think of doing my job remotely after working in a traditional office setting for 11 years. Could I perform as effectively as before? The pandemic forced a lot of businesses to adapt to this type of remote-working environment, but Husch Blackwell had put the pieces in place long before COVID-19. We’ve really positioned ourselves as the leaders in the market by fully investing in the technology and resources necessary to make this work model a success. In fact, as of January 2022, The Link is now the firm’s second-largest office with 85 attorneys and 291 members. And with The Link, certain resources normally dedicated to a physical office can be redirected to things that benefit our clients so we can do our work well, more efficiently, and put the firm’s resources to better use.
I enjoy the personal interaction that comes with working with a team, and that’s one thing that surprises me about The Link. I see my colleagues now as much as I would have in a brick-and-mortar setting, if not more. I’m able to work with people all over the country; my team is very diverse in where and who we are because The Link allows us to attract top talent without geographical limitations.
Moreover, the Link provides its members with an unmatched level of flexibility in how and where we perform our jobs. By way of example, it is possible to relocate as a member of The Link without skipping a beat. It wasn’t a disruption when a member of my team recently moved with her family from Missouri to Florida.
From a personal standpoint, it provides me with the flexibility to be more efficient with my time. I have three kids, ages 8 and under. When I was commuting, it would take over an hour to get to the office and over an hour to get home. I would miss dinner, their bedtime and early sports practices. Now, I’m able to spend more time working and more time with my wife and children. It really is the perfect situation for me.
What is one thing that makes Husch Blackwell special?
There are a million things that make Husch Blackwell special, but one that speaks to me is the “mission first, people always” mentality; that is, striving to provide our clients superior service while also looking after our team. Everyone pitches in. No one is made to feel that they’re not important, that their voice isn’t heard. My thoughts are valued and I endeavor to show that same respect to the people I work with. We all feel like we’re working together toward a common goal, which is to effectively and efficiently accomplish our clients’ objectives. We are able to provide a superior representation for our clients because we look after our people, which in turn leads to a superior work product.
Is there a recent achievement you found particularly rewarding?
We were recently hired by a Fortune 100 company to serve as its new national coordinating counsel, responsible for defending more than 7,000 active cases across the country. It’s been exciting to witness the hard work by the team to onboard such a large client. It has also been particularly rewarding to observe how the dedication, time and innovation that Husch Blackwell brings to a relationship causes the lightbulb to go off in our clients’ heads that they’ve picked the right firm. There are so many amazing attorneys here. We just think about legal representation differently, and seeing your clients truly appreciate that makes all the hard work worth it.
What is your advice for a new hire?
Count your lucky stars that you’ve joined a great firm!