Boutique Law Firms, Small Law Firms

A Name Partner Retires From A Prominent Boutique Law Firm

Will the firm be renaming itself to reflect this partner's departure?

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“Clients don’t hire us because of our sex. They hire us because we win.”

That was the great quip of Hillary Richard, name partner of Brune & Richard, when the firm was profiled by Peter Lattman of the New York Times back in 2013. In the world of elite litigation boutiques, Brune & Richard stood out for being dominated by women, with two-thirds of the partnership at the time of the Times piece being female. As Richard explained, though, gender diversity doesn’t drive a client’s hiring decision; hiring decisions get driven by results.

Hillary Richard, a graduate of Harvard Law School, has been getting great results for her clients for years. But last night, we received a copy of Susan Brune’s firm-wide email announcing that Richard will be retiring from Brune & Richard at the end of 2015:

Dear Colleagues,

As most of you know, Hillary has decided to retire at the end of this year. Hillary has set the standard for successful advocacy in civil litigation on behalf of a diverse range of clients, who have been vocal in their appreciation of the firm’s successful work on their behalf. She has been victorious in courtrooms around the country. Outside the courtroom, she has been a tireless mentor to so many here, and our firm’s strength is testament to her leadership, vision and devotion. She will be talking with her clients in the coming months about transition, and they will continue to be in good hands here.

I have to say on a personal level that I could not be more proud of the amazing team that we have assembled here. It has been one of the honors of my life to create this firm. I can tell you that while not having Hillary in the office with us will be a change and we will all miss her, what will not change is our commitment to our clients and the quality of the legal work that we do.

Sincerely,
Susan E. Brune

We reached out to Hillary Richard, who confirmed the news by email:

Dear David:

Yes, it’s true. After 18 fabulous years at Brune & Richard, I’ve decided that by the end of December 2015 I will step away from the intensity of law practice and focus on my family and other interests. I have been incredibly blessed to have worked with some of the most talented lawyers around, and to have had a fun, successful and diverse practice, filled with clients I deeply respect and admire. I am fortunate that I can step away and know that the firm will be in great hands with my exceptional colleagues, while I start a new chapter of my life.

Many thanks,
Hillary

We asked Richard: will Brune & Richard be renaming itself after her departure? Her response:

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Well, I’m not leaving until the end of December, and I’d like to think that I could have my retirement party before that issue gets decided!

Fair enough. Congratulations to Hillary Richard on her remarkable legal career, and best of luck to her as she embarks upon that next chapter of her life. Launching a boutique law firm and keeping it thriving for almost two decades is hard work, so we hope that Richard’s retirement plans include some well-deserved rest!

A Law Firm Stands Out for Its Work, Not Its Gender Makeup [DealBook / New York Times via Morning Docket]

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