Inside Perspectives

"I always keep in mind that the law does not merely involve a set of abstract rules."

"Knowing that my work assists companies and impacts employees and their families makes my career meaningful."

"[It's] the only firm where our clients can 'get it all' when it comes to solving employee benefits problems."

"Although employee benefits laws are complicated, the mutual rewards they provide for both employers and employees are immeasurable. It's rewarding to navigate these issues to find practical solutions that help our clients, and their employees."

"The Magic Eight Ball reminds me to keep the proper perspective on my work—to give my clients answers they can use and understand in the real world."

"Groom boasts a collection of the brightest minds in benefits law, a long-running history with the federal government, and a genuine enthusiasm for our corner of the law."

"The attorney-client relationship is a partnership."

"Working at Groom means being part of a specialized team that is focused on the needs of our clients. One of the more satisfying aspects of working at Groom is knowing that if I don't have the expertise to help out on a particular issue, someone else at Groom does. The breadth and depth of knowledge among our attorneys is phenomenal."

"I am able to call upon the knowledge I've garnered throughout my career to help our clients devise solutions that are appropriate for their organizations from the 'top to bottom'."

"As a benefits attorney, I feel strongly that our work at Groom on employee benefits programs will help to make it possible for employers to provide critical support, advice, and benefits for their employees who are fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses."

"Understanding Groom is simple. We are the best employee benefits firm in the country, we have the greatest depth and expertise, and we work hard for our clients."

"The thing about Groom is that everyday you have to think critically and explain why you think what you think. You can’t just smile and nod at Groom. You have to understand what’s going on and to do so you have to ask questions. I’ve learned that if you don’t understand something, the thing that makes you smart is asking questions."

"I chose to work at Groom because of the expertise and experience of the people I work with and the quality of the people we work for."

"The impact of what we do on ordinary people is one of the reasons we take our responsibility to our clients as seriously as we do."

"We’ve entered an era of high-stakes ERISA and ERISA-related litigation."

"Our job here is to make our clients’ lives easier by assuming their burdens and making them our own."

"I feel that what we do here ultimately helps people."

"From the beginning, Groom has been committed to a few basic principles. Each client is a client of the firm, not of individual lawyers. We work in a collegial atmosphere where the best ideas are shared ideas and the best practices are shared practices. We hold each other accountable. We believe strongly that the work we do is important. And we have a lot fun doing the work we do."

"I think there may be a trend back toward this type of benefit, however, when the baby boom generation retires and the value of a lifetime benefit becomes more apparent."

"I practice employee benefits because of the human side. Employee benefits – retirement and health – impact the lives of most Americans."

"Groom is the best in its field, unlike the big firms where I worked, it takes ERISA attorneys seriously."

"Helping the client solve problems is not really ‘work,’ it is simply helping someone that you like."

"Employee benefit plans can be complex. I want to provide our clients with a map to enable them to get where they want to go, but I also want to counsel them about the potential detours, bottlenecks and hazards they may encounter along the way."

"Groom’s attorneys have a combined depth and breadth of knowledge that is unsurpassed."

"Every one of my colleagues is a resource for advice, counsel and consultation."

"I believe that what we do helps people – it helps employees obtain needed benefits and helps employers provide those benefits."

"I like doing legal analysis because it's analogous to solving math problems"

"We make it a priority at Groom to approach each new client engagement as an opportunity to start a lasting relationship. We take time to understand a client’s needs and wants so that we can tailor a solution that doesn’t just address the immediate problem at hand but works within the context of the client’s long-term strategy."

"I came to Groom from a large corporate firm and found the firm’s focus on benefits law to be absolutely compelling. Groom has made me a better lawyer—and a better thinker. There are endless opportunities here to have informal discussions with my peers about employee benefits law, specific cases, and life in general."

"Groom is filled with the brightest benefits minds and broadest benefits experiences. But, Groom's secret is its attorneys' collegiality and decency, which definitely redounds to our clients' benefit."

"We are the benefits attorneys other benefits lawyers (and other law firms) turn to with their most difficult issues"

"ERISA has been amended dozens of times, spawning hundreds of new regulations and rulings. No one can lay claim to being its master. As an ERISA tax specialist, I can’t really venture an expert opinion on the law’s Title IV rules for multi-employer plans. But the great thing about working at Groom is that I can walk down the hall to find a colleague who can."

"My clients are facing tough issues and want practical strategies for addressing them. Doing my job means analyzing the situation as expertly as possible and providing my clients with concrete solutions that work in the real world."

"Employee Benefits is an area of the law that has practical application to everyday life."

"Employee benefits is such a complicated and multifaceted legal field—touching on everything from employment discrimination, to antitrust, and to securities laws—that I knew it was an area in which I would never stop learning."

"I like being a tax lawyer, but you have to do more than just practice the law. My outside interests give me better grounding to make better judgments on tough questions."

"The legal issues we work on not only impact how companies do business today but often shape the legal landscape for years to come."

"The office feels like a virtual encyclopedia. If I have a question about HIPAA I can literally knock on my neighboring colleague's door and talk out the question."

"As long as people are working, there will be a need for skilled employee benefits lawyers. It is difficult to think of another area of the law that affects so many people’s everyday lives."

"My colleagues are committed, hard-working, and creative."

"All litigators love to appear in court and write erudite briefs. I suppose it’s the Clarence Darrow in us. We’re no different at Groom. But you know what we enjoy even more? Getting together and thrashing out the ideas in a case until we figure out the best way to help a client."

"Tailoring your responses to the needs of the client is essential."

"My ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster with the World War II slogan, ‘We Can Do It,’ expresses Groom's commitment to finding creative solutions to the sophisticated legal problems our clients face. All of us at the firm pride ourselves on being highly responsive, technically proficient, and imaginative. Whatever it takes, ‘we can do it.’"

"One of the reasons I chose employee benefits was that, in the end, you were trying to help workers and their families."

"The calm and collegial atmosphere of the office indicates not only a great group of people, but a group of lawyers who have the tools, knowledge, and understanding to tackle our clients' most difficult problems."

"I love to watch the State of the Union address each year. I know that whatever health issues the President mentions will most likely be the issues I work on for the next year."

"Groom has wonderful clients. The strong partnerships between our clients and our attorneys help us to understand the impact of our recommendations beyond merely the legal ramifications."

"Following news stories about health care reform and the debate over essential health care benefits and preventive care is fascinating. I enjoy thinking of how these issues affect my clients and the types of questions that may be raised."

"I've always enjoyed working with others to achieve common goals and Groom was a great fit."

"The fact that you can utilize the law to make a difference in someone's life, whether through civil rights, employee benefits or the vast other areas of law, truly amazes me."

"Although employee benefits may not have been regarded as very high-profile in the past, pension and health-related issues are now grabbing the headlines."

"My goal is to provide practical, efficient solutions to clients. The more directed and efficient we can make the benefit programs, the better we can help our clients."

"I get to work with, and learn from, the best and the brightest in my field, some of whom may have helped write the laws and regulations I am tasked with interpreting."

"Benefits challenges are often like puzzles, and I find great intellectual stimulation in the problem solving process."

"I try to create a roadmap for the judge to rule in favor of my client."