SO CHERYL, LET’S START FROM THE BEGINNING: WHEN WERE YOU HIRED AT BROWN & CROUPPEN, AND WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE?
Cheryl: I interviewed here 18 years ago for a position in our Intake Department, for a call center specialist position. I actually was hired by managing partner Ed Herman.
WERE YOU THINKING OF A LONG-TERM CAREER IN BUSINESS OR LAW AT THE TIME?
Cheryl: I was just out of college and didn’t have a specific career in mind. I thought I would maybe answer phones for a year or two until I figured out what to do with my life. At that time, the partners were expanding a more robust intake department. Ed became a mentor to me through the process of building the department. I like to think he recognized my creativity and problem-solving skills as assets and as a result saw my potential for a long-term career at Brown & Crouppen.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH FROM WORKING IN THE CALL CENTER TO CO-COUNSEL RELATIONS AND BEING IN LEADERSHIP AT BROWN & CROUPPEN?
Cheryl: Having grown up on a farm, I’ve never been one to rest on my laurels. I’m inquisitive…I find it rewarding to keep learning and improving. Luckily, the partners and leadership have always encouraged employees to share new ideas – they’ve worked to ensure everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. The next step after expanding our intake department evolved into figuring out how to help callers we weren’t able to represent in-house. I became an architect in developing Co-Counsel Relations, which came about from recognizing a need to better serve our callers and clients.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS DEPARTMENT?
Cheryl: Our idea was to build a network of talented lawyers who would work with us in providing representation to clients. In early2008, we began reaching out to smaller firms and solo practitioners across the state and across the country, and our network has continued to grow in both size and areas of law. This department, called Co-Counsel Relations, maintains a relationship with the client throughout the journey of their case. Brown & Crouppen may not always be the right fit for every type of case, but we are still here to ensure a client gets the finest possible representation for their specific need.
IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING FINDING AN ATTORNEY WHO CAN HELP ON YOUR OWN.
Cheryl: Yes, it’s easy to for someone who might be unfamiliar with the legal world to get frustrated or discouraged by digging through the phone book or searching online. We identified a way to alleviate that burden by facilitating access to the help they deserve. People call us and say it’s because we are the best. Well, part of being the best and being of service is knowing when it’s in a client’s interest to work with an attorney in our network. Additionally, sometimes people get into accidents in other states. If you’re in a car accident in Florida, who can help you? We have those resources available for you.
THAT’S FANTASTIC SUPPORT! ASIDE FROM BEING A DIRECTOR, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU UP TO AT BROWN & CROUPPEN?
Cheryl: I’ve been fortunate to spearhead and build our Health & Wellness Program alongside our outstanding team in Human Resources. It’s been a lot of fun, and I think we’ve been able to provide something meaningful to our employees. The wellness program is just another example of how supportive the partners are to evolving, to adopting new ideas and practices. We hatched an idea, tapped into our creativity and determination, and now it’s a fully functioning benefit.
