Category: Brian Blog
An Agile Law Firm
Achieving business agility in a law firm requires swift adaptation to evolving legal environments, client requirements, and technological advancements. This entails cultivating an innovative culture, embracing adaptable work structures, and harnessing digital tools to enhance collaboration and the provision of legal services. Agile law firms place a premium on a growth mindset and skills enhancement within their teams, empowering them to pivot effectively in response to market shifts. They prioritize client-centric methodologies, proactive risk mitigation, and streamlined workflows to maintain competitiveness in a dynamic industry. Law firms that embrace agility can proactively tackle challenges, capitalize on growth opportunities, and most importantly, enhance client satisfaction.
The Role of Technology
Clients often ask about our firm’s perspective on technology and its role in our operations. I firmly believe that technology plays a crucial role in optimizing performance. We utilize it to enhance efficiency, productivity, and collaboration. Equipping our staff with the right technological tools ensures consistent high-quality work.
Most importantly, the appropriate use of technology strengthens client relationships. Kemp Klein places great value on the personal connections we have with clients. Technology can provide in this regard significant support but is never a replacement for personal interaction.
Kemp Klein's Core Values
A company’s core values are the standards that guide its business.
Creating our core values was an instructive and reflective process for our firm. I urge leadership teams to develop a similar document to coalesce their values. This centralized focus will galvanize the team and move it forward with a common objective.
Our core values effectively summarize why Kemp Klein exists, what we stand for and what we hope to achieve. Our core values are also intended to influence and direct our firm’s culture.
Our core values are here: (https://kkue.com/about/our-core-values).
Celebrating Our Team Anniversaries
Our recent anniversaries celebrate several anniversary milestones. Kerri Shutt has been with the firm for 29 years, David Marsh has been a shareholder with the firm for 25 years, David Sylaj celebrates 22 years with the firm, Denise Wyatt has been with us for 17 years, Dana Lubinski worked at the firm for 22 years, Alisha Stites is celebrating 4 years with the firm and Jenni Drouillard has been with the firm for 8 years.
We are so appreciative and thankful for all the work they do. Thank you!
December at Kemp Klein
December is an especially busy time of the year for us here at Kemp Klein. Despite the end of year legal needs of our clients, we also enjoy taking time to celebrate the holidays and have fun with our team. We’ve had parties and special lunches, a cookie contest and arranged a mobile barista service to help fuel us up. I hope that everyone can take some extra time this month to spend with friends and family, making memories to hold onto into the new year.
Longevity & October Anniversaries at The Firm
I have always believed that one of our many competitive advantages is our team. Our firm is fortunate to have a long track record of employee longevity. As an example Peggy Sagese is celebrating 35 years with the firm this October. It is difficult to put into words the high caliber of work Peggy gives to our firm and our clients. As great as her work is, however, she is a better person and we are fortunate to have Peggy working with us. Congratulations also go out to some relative newbies. Congratulations to Vito Curcuru (one year), Hunter Kosnik (two years) and Victoria Singleton (one year). Vito is our in house marketing guru, Hunter works as a clerk and helps with courier responsibilities and Victoria works a hybrid role with reception and clerking responsibilities.
The Importance of Community Involvement
Our firm recently held our 2nd annual Kemp Klein Foundation Charity Golf Outing. As I attended the event, I reflected on our commitment to the community. We believe it is imperative to support local charities and to be involved at every level in the community. Our golf outing may be our biggest event of the year but our team spends many hours at local charities. We also gather together internally to make blankets for our foundation partners as well as adopting families over the holidays.
We started The Kemp Klein Foundation in 1994 and our firm commitment exceeds $2 million in services and dollars since the Foundation’s inception. This year we gave $24,500 to Say Detroit which is a favorite charity of radio personality, journalist and best-selling author Mitch Albom. We appreciate all of the assistance Mitch Albom gave us this year which included recording promotional announcements on behalf of the outing and for having shareholder Bob Zawideh on the Mitch Albom show.
The golf outing was an outstanding event and several members of our firm did incredible work. Shareholder Bob Zawideh led the golf outing, working with friend of the firm, Karen Katko, to organize the day. Christina Kowalenko worked tirelessly on the silent auction. Kerri Shutt, Geri Hames, Barb Mackin, Pam Mackley, Stavi Varlamos and Adam Diemond all contributed to the success of the golf outing in a variety of roles. Our volunteer team included friends and family of firm members such as Bob Zawideh’s wife. It is difficult to single out everyone from that day and I am grateful we came together as a firm to support our community.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and The Importance of Relationships
The shift to AI has dominated headlines in 2023. It is extraordinary to witness the impact of AI in all industries. Many law firms are moving critical functions to AI in an effort to become more efficient and for cost savings. At Kemp Klein, we acknowledge AI’s current and coming role, but we also believe AI will never replace one of our core values and what we believe has made Kemp Klein special for over 50 years. We value relationships. We strive to not only serve our clients at the highest level, but we want our clients to know that we value them as individuals in a way AI is not capable of and never will be. As an example, I can’t tell you the number of times one of our team has stayed after hours to talk with a client or attorney to complete critical work, and to make sure deadlines aren’t missed.
AI is not able to talk with a client who is in distress, understand their needs with compassion, and give clients the attention they deserve. AI is not able to celebrate the milestones in our clients’ lives and provide comfort during the difficult times.
We do see an opportunity to utilize AI to enhance our services and assist our team but we will never shift our emphasis on service, trust and most importantly relationships.
