Media Coverage
Source: National Law Journal
Media Coverage
01.23.12
The National Law Journal follows the careers of a few former Howrey partners after their previous firm went under in 2011, including two who landed at Pillsbury in early March – construction and litigation partners Michael McNamara and Jeffrey Gans. They left Howrey shortly after they realized the extent of Howrey’s condition at the first partner meeting in 2011. "That is the equivalent of saying 'I am going to start dating, get engaged and get married in the next three months,'” McNamara said. "I knew at that meeting that the firm would not exist on April 1."
Lack of full integration of laterals was one of Howrey’s obstacles, the NLJ article concludes.
“Ultimately, relationships are the glue that bind law firms," McNamara said. “Without strong relationships among firm attorneys, and between them and their clients, firms crumble.” "The thing about law firms," he added, is that “their assets walk out the door every day. If they don't have the confidence to walk in the door the next day, the place goes under."
At Pillsbury, McNamara and Gans began their talks with board member and partner Deborah Baum. "Before we made any commitments, they opened up the firm for us," Gans said. "That openness has continued." McNamara said that at Pillsbury, they “hit the ground running and we had to pick up the pace." Both McNamara and Gans say that Pillsbury partners work as a team.