Our Professional Philosophy

• We take a "real-world," practical approach to clients’ legal problems.
• We maintain the highest legal and ethical standards in advising our clients.
• Our clients look at us as partners in their business. We listen to the client, and provide legal advice consistent with their business goals.
• We believe that it is in companies’ best interests to treat their employees morally, ethically and with respect.
• We will look beyond the "symptom" to the "disease." If a legal action appears to have more deep-rooted causes, we will help the client diagnose and cure them.
• We defend our clients vigorously and aggressively. If settlement or alternative dispute resolution appears to be in the client’s interests, we will say so. If the client prefers to settle – usually for economic reasons – we will assist our clients to achieve that aim.
• We make it a point to learn about our clients’ business in order to better understand and serve their interests.

Relationships

• We are highly responsive to our clients in all service requests. We return calls and e-mails in a timely manner and try to be accessible under all circumstances. Unlike many firms, we have real, live people answering our telephones during normal business hours so that callers do not wind up in a loop.
• We prefer a long-term "marriage" with our clients. If the client wants us to handle a single, discrete matter, we are glad to assist. But we find that the most beneficial relationships are those based on a knowledgeable, longstanding and trusting relationship between attorney and client.
• We believe that our clients have the right to work with the firm attorneys with whom they feel most comfortable. Our attorneys have a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and experience.
• We value our relationship with all of our clients and provide equal priority to all clients regardless of size or level of services requested.
• We communicate in plain English. "Legalise" is not spoken here.

Billing

• We staff our cases in the most cost-efficient – but effective – manner for the client. We use associates and paralegals whenever they can handle the work competently. We use more experienced attorneys only where warranted by the complexity of the case or other considerations. We do not send multiple lawyers to do what a single lawyer can do. We do not bill the client for associates who are "observing."
• Our bills do not contain hidden "extra" charges, such as copying, long-distance telephone or postage. Our hourly rates are designed to cover all such costs.
• Our bills contain detailed descriptions of the work performed so that the client can make a meaningful assessment of our value.
• We work with a number of Employment Practices Liability Insurance ("EPLI") carriers and can customize our bills to accommodate their preferences. We can do the same if your company has unique billing needs.

Relationships with Adversaries

• We believe it is in our clients’ best interests for us to have productive and cordial relationships with government agencies and, where possible and appropriate, with opposing counsel.

Firm Successes

• We understand and know that our clients have options in selecting outside counsel to perform labor and employment services. However, our clients stay with us because of our different approach in assisting their risk management objectives and successful results in handling their legal matters.

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