A Collaborative Approach

At Shipley Snell, collaboration and teamwork are key values. The lawyers and staff at Shipley Snell enjoy working with one another, trust each other, and turn to each other for input and expertise. For example, Shipley Snell’s lawyers have used roundtables, at no charge to the client, to explore challenging issues in our cases and gather feedback from others in the firm about how those issues are likely to be perceived. Often, someone who is not staffed on the case under discussion has an idea that leads to a solution.

Our Doors (and Minds) are Open

Shipley Snell’s lawyers share ideas and strategies with each other every day. We use the expertise of all of the lawyers in the firm, regardless of whether a lawyer is staffed on a case. If a case involves tricky electronic discovery issues, Brooksie Boutet offers guidance. If a case involves error preservation or appellate issues, Amy Maddux or Jonathan Smith provide input.

The (Un)politics of Collaboration

At our firm there are no barriers to collaboration. The firm does not reward, in any manner, case origination or billable hours. Our goal is to provide the best client service using the depth and breadth of resources found throughout the firm. There are no silos of knowledge at Shipley Snell, no one-upmanship, no political gamesmanship. Clients are the focus and beneficiaries of all we do.

Working With Opposing Counsel

Although it may be unexpected from dedicated litigators, Shipley Snell’s attorneys reach out to opposing counsel to explore ways to reduce costs for the clients on both sides. We have crafted agreements with opposing counsel that have reduced the amount of time and money spent on document review and production. We use these types of agreements to eliminate, at an early stage of a case, disagreements over technical issues so that we and our clients can focus on the substantive issues that matter.

The Team Includes Clients

We don’t think this is a novel idea. We enjoy working closely with our in-house clients and the employees of companies that we represent. We value open communication as well as early and honest evaluation of a matter, including budget issues. We cultivate strong and informed relationships.

We strive to understand our clients' businesses, industries, and the legal/non-legal issues that are important to them. One of the greatest rewards of delivering excellent service is the opportunity to become a trusted advisor to our clients. Our clients appreciate the fact that they always know the status of their case and have been a part of all the decisions in which they want to be involved.

We trust and value our relationships with one another and with our clients. We believe that strong relationships enhance our legal work.