The phrases “law firm” and “friendly environment” typically are not uttered in the same sentence. But when the four partners of Pannone, Lopes & Devereaux left the large corporate law firm they worked for to open a small practice in Providence, that is exactly what they aimed to do.
Gary Pannone, Matthew Lopes, William P. Devereaux and William O’Gara left the international law firm Holland and Knight to open a smaller, full-service firm in March 2006 with the vision of creating a working environment vastly different from that of the large, austere firms they were accustomed to.
“[We] decided to practice law in a different way than the culture of a corporate firm, where everyone is so busy and in their own worlds that people don’t acknowledge each other,” Pannone said. “We … combined our talents to create a culture that serves clients the same way as a large firm, but is different in how we do business. And it has been terrific so far.”
A number of the Holland and Knight staff followed the founding partners to start Pannone Lopes & Devereaux with the enthusiasm a new beginning brings, and that spirit is evident to anyone who walks into the office, Pannone said.
“The No. 1 priority on our list is collegiality – we won’t tolerate anything less than a friendly environment,” Pannone said. “There is an extremely busy atmosphere here, too, but it is also happy, and that feeds on itself.”
As of mid-May, Pannone, Lopes & Devereaux had 20 lawyers and 12 staff members. Pannone said he hopes to keep the firm below 30 lawyers to preserve the existing culture.
“The more lawyers you add, the harder it is to keep collegiality,” Pannone said.
The firm’s administrative assistant for government relations, Helen McGrady, who nominated the firm as one of the Best Places to Work, moved to Pannone, Lopes & Devereaux from another mid-sized firm in February and said she made the right move.
“The culture here is so much different … when you come to work here, you know you are appreciated. It’s nice to wake up in the morning and not hate to come to work,” McGrady said.
She added, “They really care about the quality of life of their employees. … We have open communications with all of the partners and attorneys and there is a lot of cooperation among the staff.”
In addition to the supportive atmosphere, McGrady said the firm is flexible with employees who need time off, give liberal vacation plans and health benefits. They have also implemented fundraising events under the suggestion of employees, and offer physical fitness and mental health resources.
Lawyer Mary-Joy Spencer, a young associate at the firm, said one of the many reasons Pannone Lopes & Devereaux is a great place to work is the respect she receives, which encourages her performance.
“Every idea I have they listen to, and I have already seen some of those ideas flourish here,” Spencer said. •
