From its humble Depression-era beginnings with just three attorneys, Hartford-based law firm Murtha Cullina LLP has survived tough times and thrived through a changing legal landscape.
This marks the firm’s 75th year in business and Managing Partner Elizabeth Stewart credits that longevity to an ability to remain agile and meet the evolving demands of its clientele. Today, a staff of 120 lawyers, plus support staff, represents clients across a broad range of practice areas from six offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The practice of the firm has changed dramatically over the years, she explained. The development of the law, particularly in the regulatory area, has led the firm to have many practices that no one could have envisioned in 1936 — environmental law, employment discrimination matters and regulations of assisted living facilities.
“Particularly in Hartford, we are known as a firm with strong regulatory practices and having ‘go-to’ people in those areas,” Stewart said. “As a result, we have organized much of our practice around industries where we can serve many clients, particularly energy, health care, long-term care, affordable housing, construction, cable television and telecommunications, retail and hospitality, community banking and water.”
The firm also has a large litigation practice; corporate, finance and real estate practices and a trusts and estates practice. In addition, Murtha Cullina operates a government affairs group, which offers services such as legislative and administrative lobbying, and creation and implementation of client-based public policy strategies.
The firm’s biggest growth over the years came in 2000, when Murtha Cullina combined practices with the Boston firm then known as Roche, Carens and DeGiacomo. Both of the firms had been members of DuPont’s primary law firm network.
When the economy began slowing down in 2007 and 2008, Murtha Cullina was able to weather the storm that battered other law firms in the region. The firm was fortunate in 2009 and 2010 to have several large and significant pieces of litigation that brought in steady revenues that helped the firm do quite well during what could have been lean years, Stewart said.
“In addition, in the early part of the recession, we were fortunate in that many of our transactional clients had cash on hand and were good enough to ask us to represent them as they acquired distressed assets,” she said.
Stewart said the company also made it through the downturn because of smart decisions on the part of management.
“Because we were uncertain where the economy would go, our management was very careful to cut costs and to cut out wasteful spending wherever we found it,” she said.
Stewart said the culture of the firm is beneficial to both the staff and the clients.
“We have a very collegial culture, and although we work hard, we try to balance both work and our outside lives,” she said. “We believe these values strengthen the relationships with our clients and our staff.”
Stewart recalled a recent conversation with one of Murtha Cullina’s long-time partners, Donald Richter.
“He told me that he respects everyone in the firm, from the newest messenger in the mail room to the most senior partner,” she said.
That culture is what’s behind Murtha Cullina’s “year of giving,” in honor of its 75th anniversary. Debra Sciarra, the firm’s director of marketing, said employees decided to spend all of 2011 celebrating the milestone.
“We didn’t want this to be focused on one party,” Sciarra said, referring to the May 4 gala that drew more than 400 to the firm’s City Place offices. “We really wanted to take this year and do as much as we can in the community.”
Hartford, employees volunteer three times a month for MANNA Community Meals, a soup kitchen housed at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford. In 2010, attorneys and staff at Murtha Cullina raised over $5,000 for MANNA Community Meals’ Thanksgiving meal.
“It’s all across the board; it’s both attorneys and staff,” she said. “It gives attorneys and staff who normally would not have the opportunity to spend time together to do so. It’s a win-win; they’re doing something for the community, and everyone at the firm has the chance to get to know each other a little better.”
Murtha Cullina’s offices, including the Hartford office, also have participated in the “Legal Food Frenzy,” to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Stewart said this significant anniversary has the firm looking ahead. She said globalization, demographics and technology will change the firm’s clients, their industries, and by extension, Murtha Cullina.
“We cannot predict exactly what the legal market will look like five years from now, but we believe with as much planning and flexibility as possible, that we will survive and grow to celebrate a 100th anniversary, and anniversaries beyond that,” she said.