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Winter 2008 | Volume 2 | Number 1 |
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Whew … time to catch my
breath.
Last year was incredible because there was so
much change in our company. There are now more attorneys working from home and/or in cities where we don't have physical offices. We're growing and
our business model is working, exemplified by our new Charlotte office and the dozens of new clients we welcomed this year. We introduced new
programs and initiatives like this newsletter and a new website. We saw more of you participate in our group activities - from CLE classes and the
Health & Wellness program to lunch events and happy hours - where people connected and new friendships formed. Many people enrolled in the 401(k)
program and qualified for holiday pay. It was a wonderful year in so many ways and has given us plenty of momentum heading into 2008.
Speaking of growth and new offices, here's a bit
of exciting news: We're in the process of opening an office in Boston (I know, a bit crazy opening in Boston during the winter!). What's even more
exciting is that some good work we did for an existing client spurred the client to refer us to a large company in Boston for which we're already
working. It's a great way to enter a market that we've considered for expansion for several years.
Our continued growth reinforces that our company
is really just about people. Whether it's the referrals we get or the work we do every day, we are nothing without talented, motivated and driven
people. As our company |
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grows, it's inevitable and necessary that a certain level of process and routine is
implemented, but we recognize that our company is nothing without solid relationships and a foundation in personal contact. We want to go to lunch or
get together with you to hear more about what's happening in your life, whether it's work-related or not. This is even more important as our company
continues to grow.
As I was digesting all of the above, it made me realize how hard all of us
have worked to get to this point. Through your diligence, belief in and commitment to Counsel On Call, you're opening a door for other attorneys
to follow your example. You've chosen a new path in the legal profession, and you continue to deliver a great work product - it's inspiring and people
are noticing.
It's also an indication of how much we enjoy our jobs and how our company is
progressing - I really don't consider any of this ‘work' at all. It's fun making a real difference in the legal profession. It's fun meeting
each of you. It's fun to show people that we've created something new and we're doing it well, and it's especially fun when a new client signs on or
one of our existing clients sings our praises to validate it. That's not to say it isn't challenging - but every day I wake up eager to keep our
momentum going.
My ramblings aside, I hope that Counsel On Call can help make 2008 a
fantastic year for you. We're building something very special and hope you know how thankful we are that you're a part of it.
All right, deeeeep breath ... I'm ready to get back to it!
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Bring On Beantown
Counsel On Call will open an office in Boston in early 2008. With a strong foundation of work from a leading Boston-based financial
company, we already have lawyers on the ground and working and will need more soon. If you know any great lawyers who want to practice law in a new
way or possibly lead our office there, we'd love to interview them. Please contact Richard Stout for more information.
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2007
Highlights
Thanks to the great work of our attorneys and paralegals in each of our markets, Counsel On Call had the best year in company history
in 2007. In total, the company hosted more than 30 events for our employees and clients, offered dozens of hours of free CLE credits, opened a new
office in Charlotte, N.C., launched a new website, and worked hundreds of thousands of hours for a long (and growing) list of clients. We also
welcomed more than 100 new attorneys to our company and 81 people now qualify for our 401(k) program. |
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Melissa and her husband found themselves in a position familiar to many
couples starting their professional careers – her husband had a great opportunity in another city that they wanted to pursue.
It was an opportunity too good to pass up. After moving to Atlanta from New
York, where she had been working for a prominent law firm for more than four years, Melissa gave birth to her second child. It wasn’t easy to
envision how she was going to jump back into practicing law.
"I found Counsel On Call, and they’ve been able to put me in a great
situation," she said. "I work with a great law firm on a very flexible schedule – sometimes it’s 20 hours a week, sometimes 35 or more,
depending on my workload or what I have going on at home. There’s not some sense of guilt that I’m leaving early or anything like that.
The associates understand my role and situation and are great to work with."
The large, well-respected firm where Melissa works is not dissimilar to her
former environment in Manhattan. A very talented student – she was in the top 7
percent of her law school class and the recipient of |
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| Melissa and her son, Brody, enjoy some time at home in Atlanta. |
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two different merit-based law school scholarships – Melissa wanted
challenging assignments and the right workplace. Through COC, she’s writing substantive motions, working with local counsel and managing
litigation around the country for a Fortune 100 company. The work is challenging and she appreciates the leadership role she’s been
given.
Spending time with her family, however, is of paramount |
importance to Melissa. Her daughter, Sarah, is a tireless and engaging
4-year-old who is always looking for that next game or activity. Brody, closing in on his second birthday, is equally energetic, and it’s easy
to see how Melissa needs a flexible schedule.
"There are also several evenings when my husband works, so having some
flexibility is even more helpful then," said Melissa, whose husband is a psychologist. "The main thing, though, is the time I get with Sarah and
Brody. I think a lot of women my age are forced to choose between career and family, and I’m fortunate that I don’t have to do
that."
Now that they’re settled in Atlanta, Melissa is even more optimistic
about what the future might hold. After working with Counsel On Call, she sees how a move back toward a more full-time schedule might be possible.
"I might want to go back to work someday on a more traditional, full-time
schedule," she said. "I feel like my work with Counsel On Call has introduced me to the legal community here, and whatever I decide to do in the
future, they can help me do it." |
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Faces & Places
There was an outbreak of Counsel On Call holiday parties in
cities throughout the country in December …
(from top left clockwise)
Chris Planto
hovers over his prize from the Nashville event, a 17-inch LCD TV. More than 40 people attended the party at The Palm.
A surprised Alexis Gabay took home an iPod from the Chicago holiday party,
hosted at the trendy Thai Urban Kitchen.
Emmy Will (left) and Tonia Boyce were two of the big winners in Memphis,
where a good crowd gathered at Chickasaw Country Club to celebrate another great year.
The corporate party was hosted in Atlanta this year; the ‘White
Elephant’ gift-swapping game was quite fun (and competitive). |
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Do you have any story ideas for our newsletter?
Any accomplishments or news you want to share about yourself or a
colleague?
We want to hear from you! E-mail Chad Schmidt with your ideas. |
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Events & Other News |
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Race Judicata on March 1
The Counsel On Call "Race" Team will again be in full force come March 1 for the annual Race Judicata in Nashville,
coordinated by the Nashville Bar Association’s Young Lawyers
Division. Last year, roughly 20 COCers participated in the event. As part of the Health & Wellness Program, we’ll pay for your entry
fee and we’ll even have t-shirts for all of our participants. The event’s goodie bag is full of great giveaways, and most importantly,
the morning will be a lot of fun. Walkers, joggers and runners of all levels are welcome – there will be groups of each. The 5K and
10K races begin at 8 and 9 a.m. CST, respectively, and our group will meet at the registration table at 7:30 a.m. to loosen up. Please RSVP
to Claudia
Richardson if you’re interested.
Atlanta Office in the Mix
As part of the continuing efforts to discuss
issues challenging our clients and network for that next great assignment, COC's Atlanta office continues to host wonderful events.
The Georgia General Counsel Forum, created by Dennis McKinnie and Anne Whitaker, brings a select group of GCs
together for a roundtable discussion of the issues of the day. The latest installment was hosted at the Capital Grille on January 17 with business
consultant Marcie Shunk moderating a discussion on "Billing & Budgets, Alternatives & Management."
On January 29, the Atlanta office will host the
In-house Women’s Luncheon. Held three times per year, this event has become increasingly popular in Atlanta’s legal community; already
75 female attorneys have RSVP’d for the lunch. |
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Counselor Correspondent: Richard Stout |
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At the risk of bringing this column to a screeching halt after the good work
of correspondent Jennifer Stone, I thought I might provide a few tidbits I’ve gathered from my travels in recent months.
I feel I have a unique perspective on Counsel On Call; I’ve worked
for law firms large and small, served as a general counsel of a start-up company, and even practiced as a COC Attorney for three years before
stepping into my resource development role with the corporate office. In the last five months, I’ve interviewed or met with well over 100
attorneys, from Charlotte to Boston to Atlanta and Chicago (and everywhere in between). I’ve found I really like getting
perspective from experienced attorneys, whether it’s on what we’re doing or what’s happening in their various workplaces.
What’s struck me most during all of these meetings is that there truly is a growing population of attorneys who want to practice law in a new
way and that what we offer is incredibly appealing to them.
One particular moment stands out. After a day of great meetings in Boston
recently, with a relentless blizzard raging outside, I saddled over to a local pub to grab a late-night dinner. As I plowed through my meal (and a
local brew, of course), I looked over and there, sitting a couple of seats away, was a colleague from years past who was now living and working for a
Boston law firm. What a small world.
We quickly dove into the usual "catching up" conversation about marriage,
kids, life and finally, work. Nothing captured his attention more than when I started talking about Counsel On Call. I could tell he was going though
what many of us have gone through in the past – the struggles |
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with the long hours at the firm, whether it was it possible
to achieve work-life balance, and what else was out there. It was clear our conversation piqued his interest, not just for himself, but for what our
company could do for his firm. He was eager to keep our correspondence going.
I’ve had dozens of meetings just like
that one, but it’s especially nice to get that validation from someone I know and who has no ulterior motive. There’s little question
that attorneys want to practice law with some flexibility; there’s no question our clients want to save money without sacrificing quality.
These two things are merging, and we’re on the forefront. The more we talk about it and spread the word, the quicker it’s going to
happen.
Part of my job is to help this process and make
sure Counsel On Call is on the leading edge of the industry. Our company isn’t for everyone, and we offer employment only to a small
percentage of the attorneys we interview, so it’s very rewarding to see that when we’re looking to bring new attorneys on board, we get
a healthy pool of talented candidates. The buzz about our company is certainly growing louder.
Richard Stout, the VP of Resource Development for
Counsel On Call, seeks to continually improve the programs and resources offered to our clients and candidates. A former COC Attorney, Richard went to
Southern Methodist University (J.D.) and Rhodes College (B.A.), practiced with a large law firm and served as COO and General Counsel of a start-up
company in Nashville. Contact Richard. |
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Sara Greenberg (Boston) Attorney, recently passed the Hawaii bar exam – the first time she’s taken a bar exam since 1979. Sara is part of
our initial client assignment in Boston.
Ngozi Okorafor
(Chicago) Attorney, moderated a panel discussion of state legislators, academics and legal practitioners titled "Women's Economic
Empowerment: Where Are We Today and What Work Must Be Done?" at the Chicago Bar Association, addressing various issues affecting women in
the work force. She also recently moderated the Illinois State Bar "Diversity In The Practice" presentation in Springfield, Ill.
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Ivy Horn Scott (Atlanta) Attorney, was married
on September 23. By all reports, everyone had a wonderful time at the wedding and the couple is doing great (pictured
below). |
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Candice Reed (Nashville) Executive Director,
recently spoke at the Nashville Bar Association’s New Lawyers CLE seminar, providing a general, but practical, introduction to the practice of
law, the Davidson County courts, and key practice tips. Candice was also accepted as a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s 2008
Leadership Law program, an honor for which she was nominated and selected by a committee overseeing applications. |
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On Oct. 26, a COC team braved the rain and participated in the 3rd Annual Legal Legs for Justice 5K run at W.C. Handy Park in Memphis.
Proceeds from the race benefited Memphis Area Legal Services Domestic Violence Project, Memphis/Shelby County Domestic Violence Council and the
YWCA.
Susan Shaw has
been working remotely from Chattanooga, Tenn., via the Atlanta office on several assignments. In addition to her legal work, she has embarked on a
part-time business venture selling fine linens, sheets and towels for Private Quarters. If you would like more information about the
line, please e-mail Lisa Lemke, who can get you in touch with
Susan.
Several COCers have taken volunteer leadership
roles with the Young Lawyers Division of the Nashville Bar Association. Appointed to the NBA YLD Board for the 2007-2008 membership year were:
Chamise Sibert (Quality of Life Committee Co-chair), Claudia Richardson (Social Committee Co-chair) and
Candice Reed (ABA/TBA Liaison). Keltie Peay was elected to serve as the YLD’s Events Director.
Jane
Allen has been nominated by the Lawyer’s Association for Women for the 2008 Athena Award, considered Nashville’s highest award
for the "achievements of professional women." The award winner will be recognized during a special event on March 27 at the Parthenon in
Nashville’s Centennial Park.
Health & Wellness update: Twenty-five people are currently signed up for the program, including six recent new
enrollees. E-mail Kendra if you want to sign up for the program or learn more.
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Chicago office placement coordinator Tasha Brown was
selected to have her home office/family room redecorated by HGTV's "Design on a Dime" show. It was a time-consuming process: Tasha and her
family had to submit the application, endure interviews by the selection team, organize the house for the film crews, get made up, tape the "before"
segment, move out of their house for 24 hours, then come back to get made up to tape the "after" segment. It was worth it, though –
Tasha and her family are thrilled with the final result and promise to let us know as soon as they find out when their episode will air.
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How To Make Good on Your New Year’s
Resolution |
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Many of us make the same resolution every year – but 2008 is the year
we’re going to do it! The COC Health & Wellness Program, headed by trainer extraordinaire Wes Adams, is ready to get us to our
goals.
In Atlanta, Christine McAlpin-Herndon is standing by to get you in better
shape. Christine is a certified personal trainer (including boot camp training) and Pilates instructor with 16 years of experience instructing,
coaching, and teaching athletes, from beginners to advanced fitness pros. She has a B.S. in P.E./Health/Sports Training from Berry College, a B.S. in
Biology/Nutrition from the University of Tennessee and an M.S. in Sport Administration from UT. She’s also a former All-American basketball
player from Berry College, so maybe we can get a three-on-three tournament going!
New to the team in Nashville is Dawn Edmonson. Dawn began weight training
when she was 12 and hasn’t let up since. She’s trained with two former Mr. Tennessee winners and a former Mr. Kentucky. She
won first place in the Figure Masters division of the 2003 Greater Knox Classic and placed third in the Figure |
Open division of the 2003 Tennessee State Bodybuilding Competition, where at the age of
36, she was the oldest competitor to place out of 23 competitors.
Currently, she is the lead trainer at Athena Health Club and Day Spa in
Brentwood, Tenn., where she specializes in body sculpting, strength training and conditioning, and post- and pre-natal fitness. There’s little
doubt she can help us reach our collective goals. Don’t let these trainers’ resumes (or enviable physiques)
intimidate you – they are wonderful people who really want to help us meet our goals, no matter how modest they might be. We saw a lot of
great success stories in 2007.
E-mail Kendra
Rodgers if you’re interested – it’s a great program and
simple to get started. Also, look for more news soon on upcoming Health & Wellness events. |
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Office Locations |
Atlanta
1180 Peachtree Street NE
Suite 2620
Atlanta, GA 30309
404.591.5828
Click to Contact
Boston
Click to Contact
Charlotte
401 North Tryon Street
10th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28202
704.972.2400
Click to Contact
Chicago
30 South Wacker Drive
Suite 2200
Chicago, IL 60606
312.466.5741
Click to Contact
Memphis
3251 Poplar Avenue
Suite 115
Memphis, TN 38111
901.432.4720
Click to Contact
Nashville & Corporate
112 Westwood Place
Suite 350
Brentwood, TN 37027
615.467.2388
866.487.7319
Click to Contact |
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