Message From the Executive Committee
Defense Digest, Vol. 24, No. 4, December 2018
By Howard P. Dwoskin, Esq.*
Thanksgiving is, by far, my favorite holiday of the year. Crisp air, the smell of pies baking, delicious roast turkey, and football on TV—what’s not to love? It also makes for a very special occasion to set aside time to spend with family. In my house, over the years, we have had the good fortune to host dinner, and, last year, 23 people joined us. Our guests spanned four generations of family, friends and those whom we knew had nowhere else to go.
It is a tradition in my home, as it is for many across America, for everyone at the dinner table to make a short statement about what they are thankful for. This past year, there was the usual, “I’m thankful for family,” “for my health,” and “for this meal.” But the absolute highlight was when my five-year-old great niece stood up with a mouthful of food and exclaimed, “Lettuce!”
So, as this year comes to a close and we look forward to the holiday season, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we are grateful for here at Marshall Dennehey.
In the current insurance industry climate, our clients face more pressure than ever to reduce costs and legal spend, yet new cases are entrusted to us every day, and we continue to grow, expand and prosper. We consistently maintain and resolve cases for our clients, and they continue to trust us to represent them well. Our top clients have worked with us for many, many years, and they are more like trusted business partners than anything. While the present climate in the insurance industry may be turbulent, the vast majority still look to Marshall Dennehey for the long-term, and we are humbled and honored by their loyalty.
Not only are our clients loyal to us, but our employees are as well. I am completing my 31st year at Marshall Dennehey, and there are many others who have been here just as long or longer. This low turnover is not only a reflection of our strong culture, but it allows us a kind of unique continuity with file handling and client relationships. Our clients feel that they can trust us with their time and money, and that trust allows us to continue to do an excellent job on their behalf.
In my opinion, this is why Marshall Dennehey continues to be retained and involved in some of the largest and most high-profile litigation pending in our areas of operation. For example, just this year, we were retained in the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando and the 2017 Halloween day terrorist attack on the West Side Highway in New York City. Time and time again, lawyers in our firm have been asked to parachute into difficult and complex cases around the country, to either bring them to an amicable resolution or to try them to verdict. What’s more, our Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice Group has been recognized for excellence both nationally and regionally by the Best Lawyers in America organization. In fact, Terry Sachs, co-chair of the practice group, recently argued a case before the United States Supreme Court—the first Marshall Dennehey attorney to have done so since Frank Marshall. Additionally, appellate practice group co-chair, John Hare, was honored by the Philadelphia Business Journal in October as a member of its 2018 “Best of the Bar” class.
Marshall Dennehey was named by the Philadelphia Business Journal, for the sixth year in a row, as one of the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia. I am proud to work for such a prestigious organization, and I was particularly proud to have recently accepted this award on the firm’s behalf. While I looked over the list of recipients, it was not lost on me how few law firms were recognized. Indeed, law firms can have challenging, high-paced, stressful work environments; yet our employees, year after year, continue to vote us in. We are humbled.
It goes without saying that I and my fellow Executive Committee members, Mark Thompson and Christopher Dougherty, are extremely grateful for all of our employees. Our firm is larger, more diverse, more successful, more generous, more charitable and more professional than ever before. The sum is truly greater than the parts, and we appreciate the role that each and every person employed here plays in making this such a wonderful place to work.
There you have it—my grateful list is complete. On behalf of the Executive Committee and the entire Board of Directors, we wish each and every one of you a safe, warm and joyous holiday season. And when planning your holiday menu, be sure to include just a little bit of lettuce.
*Howard works in our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office. He can be reached at 215.575.2664 or hpdwoskin@mdwcg.com.
Defense Digest, Vol. 24, No. 4, December 2018. Defense Digest is prepared by Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1. © 2018 Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm. For reprints, contact tamontemuro@mdwcg.com.