Danielle Smith Capital University Law School class of 2008; member of the 2006 clerk class

Bricker & Eckler LLP is an outstanding, reputable law firm. The attorneys are consummate professionals. There are stereotypical images of attorneys floating around the universe. These include airs of arrogance and untrustworthiness. Bricker & Eckler defies all of those. While clerking at Bricker, I was struck by how friendly and approachable the attorneys are. No question is too stupid or left unanswered. When attorneys at Bricker offer their assistance, they do so with sincerity and with the genuine hope that you as a clerk will actually utilize them as resources. Also worthy of note is the way in which they emphasize that, from partner to legal secretary, all are considered equal. That really struck a chord with me. I was also impressed by the firm’s tireless work ethic and utmost representation of clients while ensuring that each attorney maintained a proper work/life balance. After all, it is logical that happy, well-adjusted people produce better quality work. It is rare to find this in a workplace.

Bricker invests much time and effort into its clerkship program. Not only are day-to-day activities part of a clerk’s ongoing legal education, but Bricker provides more formalized training as well. This is all with the goal of cultivating better, more knowledgeable attorneys and equipping them with skills that often cannot be garnered from the halls of a law school. In addition, Bricker closely allies with the Columbus Bar Association (CBA) to ensure that up-and-coming attorneys fully benefit from important CBA educational seminars, networking opportunities and increased community involvement. This attention to personal and professional growth, from clerk to partner, is unique to Bricker & Eckler.

While at Bricker, it was important to the attorneys to expose the law clerks to various areas of the law. Bricker accomplished this by enabling clerk interaction with various departments and industry groups. Again, the information gleaned from a classroom’s laboratory environment became so much more relatable through my work at the firm and observing the attorneys in action. In all, the attorneys also took great care to ensure that the summer clerkship program proved to be an enriching, educational experience for each individual clerk. They took time out of their busy practices to carefully mentor clerks with the goal that our return to the classroom would be further enriched. Ultimately, Bricker & Eckler LLP has effortlessly proven that it is indeed one of Columbus’ best places to work. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to benefit from a clerkship here and rub shoulders with Ohio’s finest attorneys.