Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Fast motion: Polsinelli's business philosophy firms up its rapid growth - Kansas City Business Journal:

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Before New Year's Day 2006, the Kansas City-based corporatse law firm had no lawyers in theWindy City. But just more than two years after the firm launche d a small office to get a toehole in the hypercompetitive Chicagolegal Polsinelli's office there has grown to 23 lawyers and occupiez a noticeable space on the Chicago legal Although Polsinelli certainly isn'tf new to the Kansas City market, it is attractintg attention as one of the city' s fastest-growing firms.
It added 13 lawyerss last year, and its revenue of $112 million not only marked a 21 percent increase from the previous it also put Polsinelli among just five locally based firmes to surpassthe $100 million revenue mark. Now with more than 300 total lawyers andnine offices, firm Chairman and CEO Russell Welsh may seem more like a real estate broker than the manager of a law firm. "Somebod said to me, 'When you went to law school, did you thinki you would be amanaging partner?' and I said of coursew not," Welsh said. "One thing I never thoughtf of, and deal with all the is real estate. We're always dealinvg with real estate.
" Welsh doesn't have to look far for real estatd expertise. The firm is known as one of the region's strongetr real estate practices. Partner John Petersenh is a common sight at city council meetings throughout Johnson trying to broker a deal for a developef to build on some plattedground somewhere. But the firm also has plowesd new ground, expanding its emphasis on the life sciencesx in Kansas Cityand Chicago. Welsuh won't take the credit for wherew the firmis today. Instead, he thrusta that praise upon practice group such asPatrick Woolley.
At the ripe age of 32, Woolley took over the firm's science and technology practice group and developed it into one of the premier areas ofthe firm's practice, with more than 20 lawyers and scientistss to its credit. "First of all, it comes from and I don't mean at the top, but practicre leaders," Welsh said. "We've got the right people leadingthose groups, bottom line." The righft people, Welsh said, are thoses who come to the firm ready to play ball with othef lawyers and share work rather than act as a loosw federation of lawyers working under a single firm name. "W don't buy business, and we don'f want silos," Welsh said.
"Wer want people who are used to working withotherr lawyers." Angelo Trozzolo has seen this attitude in the way the firm approacheas its marketing. has producexd Polsinelli's marketing since 2000 with a theme stressinbthe firm's expertise in seeing the law in a new Trozzolo said Polsinelli has been receptivwe to advertising that's edgier than what most other law firms are readyh or willing to put forth. "They are so smar t and entrepreneurial," he said. "They're not stuffy; they're smart and involved in the busineszs world.
" Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus PC Corporate law firm that specializesin litigation, financial services and real estate cases Top Year founded: Employees: 700 W. 47th St., Suite 1000, Kansaxs City Highlight: Polsinelli Shalto n Flanigan Suelthaus PC last year hada record-breaking year on the firm'se financial ledger, entering into nine-digit figures in with $112 million for its 2007 fiscall year. That's up 21 percent from the previoue year.

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