J. Caleb Bell Georgetown University Law Center class of 2007; member of the 2006 clerk class

After working a summer at Bricker, I am still skeptical of large law firms. Most large law firms seem slightly impersonal, and I get the impression that one is more likely to burn out than to make partner at a big firm. Before I came to Bricker, my mind was plagued with questions. Will I like my colleagues? Will there be flexibility in my day-to-day life? Will the work be challenging? Can I make an impact on society through my work? Am I “selling my soul”?

Thank God Bricker is not a large law firm. Yes, there are over 100 attorneys. Yes, they all work in a big building in downtown Columbus. Yes, there are big corporate clients with lots of money. Yes, everyone gets the large firm salary.

But Bricker feels like a small firm. I don’t socialize, mingle, or schmooze with my bosses. They are my friends. I hang out with them: at their homes, at lunch or dinner, during kickball or golf, at a movie, at a bar, and at the office. Individuality and egalitarianism are tenets of the firm’s culture, overshadowed only by an all-around sense of family. Furthermore, there are more partners than associates at Bricker, which is proof for me that most people can and will make partner with hard work.

And Bricker is a place of possibilities. The firm’s partners and associates are truly leaders in their communities, serving on city councils, school boards, not-for-profit boards, or simply serving as good moms and dads. The hundreds of school districts, hospitals, local governments, and non-profit organizations we represent largely overshadow our big corporate clients. And the firm’s government relations department – a department I hope to join – works to better Ohio every single day through legislative and executive law reform. In short, I envision a career at Bricker because I know my work at the firm will have an impact on our society.

Because I work all day with a smile, and because I work alongside friends, I can tell you that Bricker is no large law firm, no matter how many attorneys are in the building. It’s a place where family is a greater virtue than the billable hour, and it’s a place where one’s work has an impact on one’s community.

If my thoughts above have yet to convince you, then I'll put them bluntly. If this young Brickerite can come to the poker table with nothing but a can of beer and a used ticket stub and walk away with real money, it should be clear that Bricker is a place of possibilities