McDonough Style
Introduction
McDonough Holland & Allen PC was founded in 1953 by Bruce Allen, Alfred Holland, Martin McDonough, Henry Teichert, Milton Schwartz, and Felix Wahrhaftig. Since that time, the firm has developed a style of practice of which its present members are proud. This is attributable in large part to the founders’ commitment to listen to their clients and serve their needs. That focus, combined with a dedication to quality, has established McDonough Holland & Allen PC as a respected, multi-service law firm. To further the high standard for the character and quality of work developed by our founders, we present the following list of practice goals. We aspire to them, and we believe our clients deserve no less. If we fall short in this effort, remind us of these goals. We share them with you so we can work together to give you the best possible representation.
Practice Goals
Integrity
Our attorneys are honest in their dealings with clients, judges, and opposing counsel. We do what we say we are going to do. We do not make promises we cannot keep. We are careful to be explicit about our caveats and exceptions.
Service
Ours is a service profession, and we are judged by our clients on the quality, speed and delivery of that service. We return phone calls as quickly as possible. If the attorney is unavailable, his or her secretary returns the call and explains why the attorney could not personally return the call. While we discourage unrealistic deadlines, we try to get answers back to clients on their schedule, not ours. We remember that clients do not care about excuses, they care about solutions.
Advice To Clients
We give our clients realistic, pragmatic advice—not just tell them what the law is. We describe alternatives, analyze the risks and benefits for those alternatives, and discuss the steps necessary for each alternative. We make affirmative recommendations or try to describe the factors that would favor one alternative over another. When we do not know the answer to a question, we say so, and then we find the answer. We know and respect our limits.
Quality
Our written and oral work products aim to be clear, well thought-out, organized, and tailored to the needs of the client and the matter. We attempt to be thorough. We do not produce unnecessary paperwork. We look for the shortest, most efficient way of documenting a transaction and the most effective way of obtaining the goals in litigation. We strive to speak and write in simple, declarative sentences. Our contracts are readable, with each step following a logical and organized sequence. We attempt to avoid “lawyerese” and legal jargon, both orally and in our written documents, wherever and whenever possible.
Tactics
We do not double- or triple-team matters with multiple attorneys unless their expertise—or backup—is necessary. When other attorney involvement is appropriate, we require one attorney to be directly responsible to the client and to the other attorneys for monitoring and overseeing the big picture, and for confirming the work is being done efficiently, on time, and well.
Problem Solvers
We are problem solvers in the performance of transactional work. We strive to achieve our client’s goals. We want to be known as “deal-makers,” not “deal-breakers.”
Practicality
We discourage what we think are improbable or unrealistic transactions. If something is too complex or Byzantine for us to understand, then it is probably too complex or Byzantine to do. If not, it needs simplification and clarification. We discourage pointless or non-cost-effective actions and transactions. When clients say, “it is the principle of the thing,” we firmly remind them principle is expensive and their outrage will have dissipated (except at us and the process) long before the litigation is concluded. We do the same when clients propose unnecessarily complex transactions.
Transactions
We do not advise clients to take unreasonable positions in negotiations. We prefer to start with a
fair proposal which honors the goals of both sides, not a proposal replete with false “give” points.
While we recognize the need to give and take in negotiations, we focus on solutions, not the creation of—or mindless adherence to—perceived or imagined problems. We strive to diffuse confrontational attitudes in our clients, opposing counsel, opposing clients, and, most of all, ourselves. We are always respectful and courteous to all participants in a matter.
Litigation
We strive to be vigilant, effective attorneys in our efforts to represent clients in litigation matters. Although we cannot guarantee results in litigation or other dispute resolution proceedings, we provide our clients with informative progress reports on their cases from time to time in order to enable our clients to make meaningful and informed decisions about their matters. We develop strategies for handling matters and communicate our recommendations to our clients in a timely manner. We re-evaluate our clients’ positions as the cases progress and significant events occur, and we inform our clients accordingly. When representing clients in litigation or alternative dispute resolution proceedings, we do not engage in motions or other proceedings which have no reasonable, factual, or legal basis; and we comply with applicable laws, court rules, and the ethical standards of our profession.
Client Communications
We keep our clients apprised of what is going on with their matters. We inform clients of significant contacts from the opposition and other interested third parties. Although we will direct and conduct the proceedings in litigation, we will discuss the general strategy and seek client approval for significant actions which we propose to take. Our policy is never to treat clients in a condescending manner, nor do we infer our expertise and decision processes are beyond our client’s ability to comprehend.
Billing Guidelines
The amount of the bill should reflect the applicable rates when the services were performed, together with costs and administrative charges. Bills should not include time for administrative activities which are of no direct benefit to the client, such as opening the file and performing conflict checks. Attempted telephone calls fall into the same category. The description of the work performed should be clear.
Thank Yous and Compliments
We make a point of recognizing contributions by others—our staff, third party service providers, and other attorneys. We thank and compliment participants at the conclusion of transactions and litigation. We send copies of complimentary notes to supervisors and managers. We thank clients for their business. We also thank and compliment other attorneys in the firm who contributed to the client’s success.
Pride
We are proud of our work. We are proud of our contributions to our clients’ successes. We are proud to be attorneys and counselors. We are proud of our law firm. |
