Why have you chosen to make your career at Husch Blackwell?
After serving in the U.S. Navy for six years, I attended law school and practiced patent litigation at a Washington, D.C.-based firm for eight years. During the pandemic, like many couples whose employers allowed them to work remotely for a time, my wife and I reassessed our living situation and decided to move from the city to a more rural area of Virginia. Our new home was a much better fit for our growing family.
We didn’t wish to move our young children again when my firm began to summon people back to the office. The new, lengthy commute from Virginia to D.C. also validated my desire for a more remote-friendly work environment. When I learned of Husch Blackwell’s virtual office, The Link, through a recruiter, it seemed like the perfect solution. As The Link is one of the firm’s largest offices, I knew I wouldn’t be the only attorney working remotely, either. There was a whole system in place I could join, which was really attractive to me.
In addition to the flexibility The Link offers, I experienced the welcoming nature of the Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation group and others in the firm during the interview process. The IP litigation practice, which has a very active docket of patent, trade secret litigation, and other IP-related cases, gives me the opportunity to expand my practice.
Describe your experience working as part of The Link, the firm’s virtual office.
When I started at Husch Blackwell, I was literally given a technology list and checked off what I needed to ensure I was well-supported at home. There is no need to leave my home office unless I’m taking depositions or have litigation-related travel. In some ways it’s not so different than what many professionals have been doing the past two years, but it’s a permanent solution for me.
You tend to experience more of a work-life division when you report to a physical office outside the home, so I try to structure my day as much as possible. While I can’t knock on a colleague’s door, I get a lot of face time with my teammates through the firm’s business communication platform and will occasionally see them in person when I visit other offices – travel that Husch Blackwell encourages and compensates. I look forward to grabbing lunch and developing those relationships.
Importantly, I have a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. Because, in part, of the lack of a commute, when my kids come home from day care I can spend time with them, get them ready for bed and return to work after that. I love having that flexibility.
What is one thing that makes Husch Blackwell special?
The firm understands what attorneys need. The lateral transfer process, for example, was particularly well-organized and thoughtful. It included both Link-specific and general orientation, which covered all things I needed to know right off the bat – from firm policies and procedures, to benefits, to legal research tools and resources – as well as training on the technology I’d be using.
What is your advice for a new hire?
Take advantage of the early parts of the transition to proactively meet as many people as possible, even if others are reaching out to you. Once you get busy, it becomes more challenging to do so, and relationship building is extremely important to one’s success.