In the Media

Community-Centered Culture Benefits Clients and Staff

April 17, 2023

Since 1993, the Baton Rouge office of McGlinchey Stafford has provided innovative legal services to local and national clients. Yet throughout its 30-year history, McGlinchey has been much more than a law firm. Deeply embedded in the community, the firm maintains an active commitment to community development, education and strengthening local organizations.

McGlinchey’s lawyers and staff have leadership roles in many local nonprofits (such as The Emerge Center), serve on school advisory boards, teach at LSU and Southern University law schools, sponsor community events, and contribute to and serve as leaders in Capital Area United Way campaigns. 

“Being involved in the community is not required, you just see it happen at McGlinchey,” says Zelma Murray Frederick, Baton Rouge office managing member. “It’s engrained in the culture.”

That commitment was established in 1983, when Rubin, Curry, Colvin and Joseph was founded in Baton Rouge. Ten years later, that firm merged with McGlinchey. With three of the original partners still practicing in the Baton Rouge office, the firm’s pioneering, community-focused values remain strong. For example, founding partner Mary Joseph, one of Baton Rouge’s first practicing women attorneys, continues to be a role model and leader at McGlinchey, Frederick says.

A community-centered culture benefits McGlinchey’s clients, as well, says Mike Rubin, member.

“Our clients view us not as scribes to do their work, but as friends involved in something other than the law,” he says. “We like our people to be more than just lawyers … it’s important that we be fully rounded people. That means being involved in the community.”

McGlinchey encourages staff to pursue their interests and think innovatively about doing so.  

“We want our lawyers and staff to think broadly,” Rubin says, “to develop their own abilities and expand the firm’s abilities and knowledge base while fully serving our client’s businesses. To do that, we have to be entrepreneurial.”

Being located in Baton Rouge provides a unique vantage point for serving clients, as well.

“Our Baton Rouge attorneys are uniquely situated in that we work for local clients, but we also do a substantial amount of national work. We’re here geographically, but our reach is much further,” Frederick says.

Founded in New Orleans in 1974, McGlinchey has 17 offices across the U.S. and almost 150 attorneys licensed to practice in 32 states, districts and territories. McGlinchey’s managing member is based in Baton Rouge, the firm’s second-largest office. 

As the office marks its 30th anniversary, “we’ll keep growing, while continuing to be reliable, top-tier, service-oriented attorneys for our clients,” Frederick says. “And we’ll continue to help build our community as we’ve done for 30 years.” 

Reprinted with permission from The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.