Last year, when some employees at Shechtman Halperin Savage LLP decided they wanted to run the Caremark Downtown 5K, the company’s partners said OK.
But they did more than sponsor the runners.
“We got T-shirts, [the partners] took everyone out to lunch,” said Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Rutko, who ran in the race. “I made it to the end and was still breathing.”
It’s acts like that – staying involved with the employees and encouraging them to be active in the community – that make Shechtman one of Providence Business News’ 2009 Best Places to Work.
Shechtman Halperin Savage has offices in Pawtucket, Massachusetts and New York, and its attorneys have been admitted to practice throughout New England and New York.
The firm specializes in civil litigation, commercial and residential lending, consumer collections, foreclosures, workouts, creditors’ rights in bankruptcy, receivership, corporate, commercial and real estate.
About six years ago, when Rutko joined the firm, there were about 50 people in an office on Weybosset Street. Since then, the company has grown to about 100 employees and upgraded to a larger office on Main Street in Pawtucket.
“It’s doubled in size,” Rutko said, “but kept that small-company mentality. Everybody knows everybody’s name. You walk down the halls and you know everyone.”
“And the owners are very involved,” he said, “sitting down, having lunch with everyone.”
Senior Paralegal Danielle Smith has been with Shechtman Halperin Savage for nearly nine years. She echoed the sentiments of the executive, saying that the company has kept its small- firm mentality.
“The partners are great to work for,” she said, referring to the 10 managing partners at the firm. “They care about their employees, and not just their professional lives.” The office still gets together for birthdays, or lunch on the firm.
“It’s a fun environment,” Smith said. “It’s a young office … very energetic. And the firm takes care of us.” There’s a gym on-site and plenty of high-tech accoutrements on hand for the staff to use.
And for its attention to workers’ needs, the company gets dedicated employees. Smith’s hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but, she says, she often works beyond those hours from home.
The firm’s personality seems to be built into its foundation. The hallmarks of the company’s philosophy sound more like an Internet startup than a law firm:
• An enthusiastic and energetic analysis of the needs of our clients.
•Approaching each assignment with a level of responsiveness consistent with the client’s sense of urgency.
• Finding creative solutions to our client’s problems.
• Careful attention to the costs of legal services.
For Rutko and Smith, the philosophy resonates. Both say they plan to stay with Shechtman Halperin Savage for the foreseeable future.
And why not? It’s one of the best places to work in Rhode Island. •
