At Ward and Smith, excellence in client solutions begins with a culture where each individual's unique talents are valued and amplified.
Our commitment to a respectful and collaborative environment isn't simply a cultural choice—it's a historical value that was as important to our founders as it is today. It's also a strategic imperative that powers our ability to deliver innovative, customized, and efficient solutions for our clients' most complex legal challenges.
The Power of Respect
In our firm, respect isn't just a concept—it's a core element of our cultural fabric and is built into our physical space and daily interactions.
You won't find corner offices here; every exterior office is virtually identical, with corner spaces reserved for workrooms and communal areas.
We refer to each other as "partners" regardless of ownership status because we believe that once you join Ward and Smith, you're a partner in solving client problems. In fact, hierarchical job titles are not a thing for us. For example, we do not use titles like "Junior Associate" or "Senior Associate." Each attorney is an "Attorney." (Go ahead, look at some bios. We'll wait.)
The way we speak to each other and how we treat each other reflects our deeply held belief that respect must be demonstrated through actions, not just words.
Cultivating Opportunity
We understand that exceptional talent emerges through many paths and passions; our success stories prove it.
One of our attorneys began his career with the firm as a paralegal, completed law school at night, and now practices in the same section where he started his career. Another brought career logistics experience and a passion for process improvement to the firm and became our Director of Legal Innovation while building a thriving legal practice. A third came to us after a long and distinguished career serving the US Military and recently played a pivotal role in advocating for passage of the PACT Act to provide remedial access for veterans through the Camp Lejeune lawsuits.
Many members of our professional staff have joined the firm in full-time positions as a direct result of our Staff Internship Program. This Program, which provides five-month intensives in paralegal and office services positions, partners with local high schools, community colleges, and technical schools to create professional development opportunities for students in our local communities.
We also strive to provide opportunities for professional growth and encourage our interested team members to pursue these opportunities. Whether it be encouraging employees to take on formal leadership roles within or outside of the firm, encouraging employees to apply to internal job openings for career advancement within the firm, or providing career advancement opportunities to employees at all levels, including supporting professional certifications and specializations or Chamber leadership academies within our geographic footprint—it is engrained in our culture to ensure these opportunities are consistently available to those interested.
These examples demonstrate our commitment to identifying and supporting each Ward and Smith employee's unique strengths backed by targeted resources, mentorship, and the freedom to continue to grow professionally.
The Business Value of Collaboration
Our commitment to collaboration drives our ability to create sophisticated, tailored solutions—and our compensation system supports this holistic culture. We don't have origination credits, and our attorneys do not argue over client "ownership." Instead, we focus on assembling the right team—from attorneys to support staff—for each challenge, ensuring our clients receive the most effective combination of skills and expertise for each matter.
Delivering Client Success
Our clients face multifaceted challenges that require nuanced, customized, and practical solutions. By bringing together differing talents and perspectives, we anticipate challenges and identify innovative approaches more effectively. We know that all employees, with varied perspectives, must work together effectively to produce the best product for our clients.
Our team structure encourages the firm to seek out the best attorney or staff member for each task, focusing solely on exceeding client expectations rather than internal competition or a focus on one's own compensation. This approach enables us to consistently deliver faster, more efficient results for our clients.
Building Tomorrow
Our dedication to respect, opportunity, and collaboration shapes everything we do at Ward and Smith.
We know that extraordinary teams thrive on mutual respect, continuous growth opportunities, and the power of different perspectives working in concert. This foundation strengthens our capacity to serve clients, support our people, and lead our industry forward.
We're not just creating a better law firm but are building teams to provide better solutions for today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities through our tenets of ROC—Respect, Opportunity, and Collaboration.
