Type of business: Law firm
Connecticut employees: 385
Connecticut locations: 3
Headquarters: Hartford
Company contact: Maggie Bowen, human resources manager
Top local executive: John Lynch, managing partner
Founded: 1845
John Lynch joined Robinson & Cole right out of law school 26 years ago and has enjoyed a long career at the firm. Not as long as some, though, he said, in a firm where, he explained, it is not unusual to find staff members whose careers span 30 or 35 years. Today, Lynch is managing partner of the firm and continues to view the firm as one with great prospects for attorneys and other professionals seeking stable careers.
“Robinson and Cole has always been a great place to work. The future is bright and I expect we will continue to grow for years to come,” he said.
What makes it such a great place to work, he said, is the emphasis the firm places on ensuring employees know they are valued.
“We have a culture here that tends to be somewhat less hierarchical than other law firms. I think this helps. We practice tremendous respect for each other. We want everyone at the firm to be highly motivated, regardless of role, and work as one team to ensure that our clients have an outstanding experience when they deal with Robinson and Cole,” Lynch said.
One way Robinson & Cole accomplishes this, Lynch explained, is by ensuring that despite having three offices around the state, the firm retains a close knit, one-firm feel to its practice.
“We don’t track things on an office by office basis,” he said. “Our lawyers and staff routinely cross offices, at times working from other locations. Some even keep an office in more than one place. This helps keep our offices and our members connected and engaged with one another.
“We have a highly energized and talented group of employees and it’s important to keep them challenged, provide them with opportunities for growth, and career advancement and create an open and pleasant working environment. We spend an extraordinary amount of time ensuring this,” Lynch said.
Career advancement may come in the form of partner track and opportunities to work on high profile cases for lawyers, and training, certification and promotion for department support staff, and opportunities to demonstrate leadership by chairing various firm initiatives including charitable fund raisers, community volunteer efforts and firm events.
Community involvement is an important part of the Robinson & Cole legacy, said Lynch.
“We’ve been around a long time, have deep roots in our communities and believe we have a responsibility to do our share in helping out at the local level. Our employees take a great deal of pride in the role our firm plays in our communities,” he said.
Robinson & Cole has attorneys who sit on the boards of more than 110 civic and community volunteer organizations, Lynch said. The firm is a regular supporter of the United Way, the March of Dimes, Juvenile Diabetes, among other charities, and a visible and strong contributor to major civic, arts and community development initiatives in greater Hartford and Stamford.
“It’s a part of who we are as firm and it helps give our employees an added sense of mission to their work,” he said.
