Small Business Snapshots: Ratcliffe Harten Burke & Galamaga LLP
Member Since 2003Partner: Stephen H. Burke
401.331.3400
www.rbhelaw.com
What does your company do?Ratcliffe Burke Harten & Elias & Galamaga LLP is a full service law firm with special areas of expertise in business law, environmental law, health law, and commercial and civil litigation.
How do you attract, train and keep your skilled workforce?
First, we take pride in hiring experienced and professional legal assistants. Second, we are committed to hiring the best and brightest attorneys, and providing them with the resources and guidance to grow in their jobs. All attorneys are hired with the expectation that they will become partners of in the firm. We offer a competitive compensation package and regular feedback regarding performance. Our experience is that all of these measures bolster employee self-confidence, resulting in an office atmosphere that is collegial and relaxed.
What is your best unconventional marekting tip?
Listen to your market. Our business is identifying clients and helping them meet their business and personal challenges. We have only one moment to engage a new client’s interest, so we don’t waste that time talking about the firm. We spend that invaluable moment questioning and listening - making a potential client’s problem our own. We know that personal involvement is what clients are seeking in an attorney and we take pride in the personal attention we pay to every matter our office.
What do you see as the most important issue facing your company?
Managing growth. Despite the current economy, we find that work for skilled attorneys in our market niche has not significantly decreased. While our roots are in small business law, our client base continues to expand as new businesses arise, larger businesses seek to control their legal costs by hiring smaller, more focused firms such as RBHE, and as companies we helped to begin years ago become large and successful players in the New England market.
What personal leadership strategy do you employ that has helped your company grow in today’s competitive business environment?
An experienced partner is personally involved and at the helm on every firm file. Nevertheless, attorney associates (and staff) are always encouraged to accept responsibility for moving matters forward, bringing in new clients, and increasing the firm’s presence in the community. Compensation reflects this commitment. In this way, everyone in the firm has a personal stake in the firm’s success.
What special niche has your business carved out that makes you different from your competitors?
Together, the partners in the firm have over 100 years of experience, often in large regional law firms, representing clients large and small in complex and sophisticated circumstances. As one of the largest firms in the “mid-size New England” firm niche, we are able to offer large firm experience and resources; however, because we do not have large firm costs, we can offer our skills and service to our clients at substantially reduced expense. .