Blog

Responsibility Early: A Miles & Stockbridge Advantage

Thursday, April 22, 2010
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

Giving new lawyers meaningful responsibility early in their careers is one of the many things Miles & Stockbridge does quite well. As a member of the recruitment and professional development team since the spring of 1998, I have been in a unique position to watch with pride as former summer associates and new lawyers progress in their careers.

Chris Davis, for example, a Class of 2007 tax lawyer, had quite a steep learning curve. But with a stellar work ethic, a head for business tax, and a hands-on mentor (tax lawyer extraordinaire, Jeff Markowitz) Chris has become another "go-to tax lawyer" in just 2 ½ years. He recently wrote an article that was posted on Tax-Miles, Miles & Stockbridge’s new tax blog. It’s a real client story that, in my opinion, embodies the client-centric focus deeply woven in the fabric of our law firm. Check out Chris’ blog entry for yourself: A Tax Emergency.

During his first year of practice, Class of 2007 business litigator Scott Wilson handled four bench trials – all on his own. He represented clients at mediations and settlement conferences. He briefed and argued in court several motions to dismiss. He took two depositions and attended many others. The list goes on, including the drafting of an appellate brief with one of our senior lawyers. And that was just in his first year with Miles & Stockbridge.

Since Labor & Employment lawyer Darah Okeke began practicing in the fall of 2007, she has represented one client in a mediation and another client at multiple administrative hearings. Darah has developed workplace and anti-harassment training workshops and has presented them to hundreds of our clients’ employees. But that’s not all. She has drafted and counseled clients on employee handbooks and company policies, plus the terms of employment, non-competition/non-solicitation, consulting, and severance agreements. The list of substantive motions Darah has drafted include motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment in matters involving wrongful discharge, discrimination and harassment, breach of contract, trade secret/non-compete, defamation and other employment-related torts.

What’s more, Chris, Scott, and Darah were members of Miles & Stockbridge’s Summer Associate Class of 2006. Not surprisingly, they were selected to participate as mentors in our 2010 Summer Associate Program. Our team is very proud of their accomplishments.

Randi S. Lewis
Director of Diversity & Professional Development
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

A First Year Lawyer Reflects About Career, Colleagues, and Commitment

Thursday, April 01, 2010
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

This time the office with my name on the door is not a temporary perk between semesters – this time it’s a keeper.

After three years of law school, countless hours with bar review, and a two-day marathon of testing, I became a practicing lawyer. And to my good fortune, that came as a lawyer at Miles & Stockbridge.

Any transition from law school into a legal career would share some commonalities. Law school hones analysis of cold cases, emphasizes historic trends, and touts the nuances of legal theories. The real world is about shaping solutions and arguments for unique and dynamic legal issues facing real people. As a result, the casebook gets shelved, and the problem solving skills come out. All of this would happen in most legal professions I can imagine.

But by now I’ve had nearly six months to reflect on work at Miles. And what keeps me thrilled is that all around me are people passionately devoted to what they do. Every element of that description has something significant. First, the people: I am continually impressed by the individuals who are now my colleagues. From their diverse interests and talents to their dynamic personalities working as a team, they are people who are genuinely good to be around.

And they are also passionately devoted to what they do. My colleagues at all levels are engaged and determined to achieve the best possible solutions for our clients. This means we treat our clients’ issues as our own, get involved in their work, and then apply the legal skills honed by years of practical experience.

Finally: what we do. This is a profession, one in which my colleagues are intensely knowledgeable and serve as awesome mentors in building legal skills. The enthusiasm is pervasive. It’s not just enthusiasm for scoring a big win or beating the other side. It’s enthusiasm for working as a team and being leaders in their given field. The result is a collaborative and highly competent work environment.

These six months with Miles make law school feel pretty far away. But the learning hasn’t stopped since graduation – in fact I’m sure I’m learning even more now. And this, a place with outstanding people passionately devoted to what they do, is a great place to be.

Warren Hedges is in his first year of practice at Miles & Stockbridge as a Labor & Employment Law lawyer. In May 2009, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Executive Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology. A Peace Corps veteran, Warren spent two years volunteering in the country of Georgia. He remained in Georgia for a number of years, serving as Editor-in-Chief of the leading English newspaper in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Miles & Stockbridge Hosts the Baltimore Scholars

Thursday, January 21, 2010
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

On January 14^th, Miles & Stockbridge hosted members of the Baltimore Scholars Program, a unique pipeline diversity program run by the University of Baltimore School of Law. The program helps students at Maryland’s historically black universities to explore and develop their interest in studying the law, improve their analytical and writing skills, and prepare the students for a successful law school experience. Eight aspiring lawyers who attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Bowie State University, Morgan State University, and Coppin State College joined our firm to learn more about the backgrounds and practices of an eclectic group of Miles & Stockbridge’s lawyers. Our recruitment team also led a workshop on resume writing, cover letters, and interviewing tips. Miles & Stockbridge, which has hosted the Scholars for the past three years, is committed to the Baltimore Scholars Program, and hopes to encourage diverse college students to go to law school and eventually become leaders of their communities. Today’s group of Scholars, as evidenced not only by their academic achievements but also by their meaningful participation and enthusiasm in this program, surely will become accomplished leaders in the future.

Best Places to Work in Baltimore: Miles & Stockbridge Ranks Third in Baltimore Business Journal Survey

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

By the time this is posted, everyone will know what I have known for some time: Miles & Stockbridge truly is one of the “Best Places to Work.” The firm has always ranked highly on The American Lawyer Associate and Summer Associate satisfaction surveys. But, it is not just the lawyers who are happy at Miles. We all are.

In these difficult economic times, it is truly remarkable for a law firm to be nominated as one of the “Best Places to Work” by its employees, as noted by the Baltimore Business Journal on September 18, 2009. What makes the firm so special? It is hard to pinpoint to just one reason.

I am a relative newcomer to the firm. This will be my third year as Recruitment Manager and Pro Bono Coordinator. The majority of my non-lawyer colleagues have worked at the firm ten years or more. People leave, and they come back. Associates start their careers here as law students and stay to become partners. These are unusual characteristics of a law firm in this day and age.

Why am I personally happy at the firm? I appreciate the lack of hierarchy, the genuine respect that is apparent amongst all colleagues, the fairness with which decisions are made, and the desire to strive to be the best. But, as I sat in a recent workshop at the Firm, I realized what made the place most special. My fellow co-workers described themselves in the following ways: loyal; hard-working; team-players; conscientious; trust-worthy; accountable; reliable; and kind. The values I appreciate most are how my colleagues described themselves, and those values make our Firm unique.

Dina Billian, Recruitment Manager & Pro Bono Coordinator

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

Associate Satisfaction: High at Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

Monday, August 31, 2009
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

Miles & Stockbridge ranked 5^th out of 146 participating firms across the U.S. in The American Lawyer’s 2009 Midlevel Associates Survey, ranking 5^th nationally and 1^st in Baltimore as an overall place to work. Each year, the American Lawyer surveys thousands of mid-level associates about their overall work experiences at their respective law firms.  In 2009, Miles & Stockbridge lawyers in the Classes of 2004, 2005 and 2006 completed surveys this spring that examined twelve areas contributing to job satisfaction. 6,100 associates across the country graded their firms on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest score. Miles & Stockbridge’s average score was 4.448/5.0 and our firm’s rankings in every category well exceeded the national averages.

- Relations with partners and associates
- The interest and satisfaction level of the work
- Training and guidance
- Policy on billable hours
- Management’s openness about firm finances and partnership chances
- The firm’s attitude toward diversity and pro bono work
- Compensation and benefits
- The associates’ inclination to remain at their firms for the next two years

On August 20, 2009, the American Lawyer online noted that Miles & Stockbridge ranked 2^nd nationally on transparency about our finances. 

On August 21, 2009, the American Lawyer online noted that Miles & Stockbridge associates ranked our firm 2^nd nationally in regard to how well they got along with the partners with whom they work. 

Past Midlevel Associate rankings: 
2^nd in 2008
6^th in 2007
11^th in 2006
4^th in 2005
2^nd in 2004
10^th in 2003

Pro Bono Profile: Alicia Ritchie - A Young Lawyer's Passion

Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Posted By: Miles & Stockbridge
Category:   M&S Stories

The Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc. ("HPRP") presented Miles & Stockbridge lawyer Alicia Ritchie with a 2009 Outstanding Volunteer Award for her outstanding commitment to helping homeless people in their quest to better their lives. Ritchie receives referrals to help expunge certain criminal records of HPRP clients. These individuals typically are trying to find jobs but their "rap sheets," cluttered with minor charges, are holding them back.

"When you can help clean up someone’s criminal record to afford him a greater opportunity to land a job, it is tremendously rewarding," said Ritchie. "Our problems are so small compared to their daily struggles to survive."

And this work helping the homeless represents only some of the pro bono work Ritchie handles in addition to managing a full load as a litigation lawyer in our firm’s Mass Torts Practice Group. Ritchie is a member of the Miles & Stockbridge Domestic Violence Pro Bono Group, which won state-wide recognition in 2008 for its work helping victims of domestic violence obtain protective orders against their abusers.

Ritchie has years of experience balancing multiple passions. She played D-1 basketball for four years in college while managing to graduate magna cum laude with a B.A. in English. It comes as no surprise that Ritchie began handling pro bono matters on her own so early in her career.

The Maryland Daily Record also recognized Ritchie’s pro bono efforts earlier this year.

How I Shamed Entire Generations of My Family and Became a Lawyer

Friday, March 06, 2009
Posted By: Miles
Category:   M&S Stories

For as long as I can remember, I knew I was going to be a doctor. You see, growing up in an Asian-American household, you are taught very early on that doctor is the only vocation available. As I moved through childhood, blissfully unaware that there was any other choice, I studied hard and eventually found myself at the Johns Hopkins University. Imagine my parents’ horror, when, after 2 years of being pre-med, I went home and declared – "Mom, Dad, I want to be a lawyer." While some parents would be thrilled by such aspirations, my parents’ reaction was a bit different. "Don’t be ridiculous. Your sister and her husband are doctors. Your cousins are doctors. Your grandparents are doctors. We’re doctors. You will be a doctor."

Despite their initial reservations, my parents are very supportive of my decision to become a lawyer. I believe what won them over is that in forging my own career path, I demonstrated to them several things–hard work, determination, and independence. These characteristics, which my parents value, are also valued at Miles & Stockbridge. It might sound corny, but it’s true. Having worked in other firms, I believe what sets Miles apart is the fact that the firm recognizes hard work and creative thinking. You are not just another cog in the machine, another nameless associate. You are valued as an individual. As you start to determine your own career path, I urge you to consider Miles & Stockbridge. It is truly a wonderful place to work.

Daniel Wang is an associate in the Mass Tort/Environmental Litigation group at Miles & Stockbridge. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, playing sports and trying to be a foodie. Currently, he does not plan on "coming to his senses" and enrolling in medical school. Until that happens, his parents are satisfied by the fact that he married a transplant surgeon. And his in-laws are quite proud that their daughter married a lawyer.