Guiding Principles

In the late 1980s, our attorneys worked together to develop a set of Guiding Principles to govern our conduct and relationships with each other and with our clients. These Guiding Principles are described in the following paragraphs.  We are committed to providing our clients with excellent legal services for fair and reasonable compensation. Our objective is to be the best law firm possible, not necessarily the biggest or the most profitable.

These concepts describe key aspects of our Guiding Principles: 

Quality. We strive for quality in our legal representation, our practice, and all of the individuals we ask to join us in any capacity. The attorneys we invite to practice with us are those we believe qualify for partnership, subject to proof of their professionalism in the form of practice.

Trust, Ethics and Honesty. We embrace the principles of professional responsibility founded upon utmost honesty and adherence to the rules of professional conduct and ethics. Each of us must be able to trust and rely upon everyone else's word throughout the firm.

Client Representation. In representing our clients, we work with them to define their objectives. We ensure that each objective is legitimate and appropriate, and then seek to achieve those objectives efficiently. Our goal is to devise creative solutions to our clients' legal needs. In doing so, we aggressively pursue our clients objectives, dealing with opposing parties and counsel in a professional manner.

Business Conduct. We intend to conduct our practice in a businesslike manner, employing the benefits and economies of technology and efficient management. In doing so, however, we will not deviate from our other principles. Making a profit is an important component, but not the only component in reaching our objectives.

Teamwork. We best serve our clients' needs by working as a team, employing the combined skills of attorneys with expertise in different specialties. We support each other, personally and professionally. Each of us is always available to work with anyone else in the firm when our clients' needs require our collective expertise and assistance.

Openness and Communication. We seek to maintain and enhance our special brand of informality. We want to foster an environment where we are comfortable in discussing sensitive matters that will be shared in an appropriate manner. We encourage candor and directness in constructive and supportive ways.

Reward. We are committed to rewarding performance of all attorneys and staff, recognizing and giving monetary rewards for hard work, client production, client satisfaction and service to our firm, profession, and community.

Agreement. When the firm enters into any relationship, we believe it appropriate, from the inception, to execute clear written agreements so that questions and uncertainties are eliminated and disputes are avoided or quickly resolved.

Individuality. We seek to foster individuality within firm-shared values. We seek to be as flexible as possible, within the context of our practice, to allow attorneys to make their own individual professional and personal choices and to permit ranges of satisfactory contribution to the success of our practice.

Training and Continuing Professional Growth. We are committed to the investment of time, energy, and money to our development as professionals. We expect all of our attorneys to continue their education through formal programs, our own training, and individual efforts.

Growth. We intend to grow in response to the increasingly complex needs of our clients. In our decisions to add new attorneys, we will add only those attorneys whose philosophies of practice are consistent with ours, thereby building upon and enhancing the principles and traditions upon which we base our practice.

Business Development. We are committed to the investment of time, energy, and firm resources in the development, maintenance, and expansion of new and existing client and business relationships. We expect each attorney to create and implement a business development plan and consistently foster business development through firm, practice group, and individual efforts.

Pro Bono Legal Services. We are committed to pro bono service for those who cannot afford legal assistance, and to public service for the improvement of the administration of justice and our profession. We encourage each attorney to devote a reasonable amount of time in pursuit of these goals.

Quality of Life. We seek to achieve the highest possible quality of life for everyone in the firm. We strive for collegiality among our attorneys and our staff members. Our goal is that each of us looks forward to coming to work each day. At the same time, we balance the demands of our practice with our personal needs and our families, friends, and outside interests.

Diversity. We seek to hire attorneys and staff with a broad variety of backgrounds and capabilities, recognizing that such diversity, with balance, contributes to our strength and our ability to serve our clients well.

Professionalism. Above all, we are committed to the highest standards of our profession. In all matters, we undertake to represent each of our clients as we ourselves would want to be represented.