As a young lawyer, Terry Conner was simply trying to do the best job he possibly could and keep his nose clean, but as he saw Haynes and Boone LLP grow, he started to notice more of the nuances of the firm.
“In 1970, we had just a handful of lawyers, but to see how the firm was able to grow and have good lawyers and good clients in a market that was originally dominated by much larger firms, … helped reinforce the cultural tenets. So probably by the time I was becoming a partner in the early ’80s, I understood the power of the client focus,” Conner says. At the 1,100-emplyoee law firm, success has come as a result of a relentless and singular cultural focus — focusing on the client.
“Culture is very, very key, and it’s very relevant to our people but also to our clients,” says the managing partner. “It’s not something that can be contrived or invented. It really has to be part of the fabric of the company or the firm. Ours is the product of 40 years of consistency and a culture emphasis.”
Conner says in order for Haynes and Boone to maintain its success and cultural focus, it’s critical to hire quality people who will fit with the culture and then continue to drive it.
“It’s not something that happens overnight,” Conner says. “It’s something that is built over time. We were fortunate that our founders began to create this culture 40 years ago, and it needs [to be] constantly reinforced and discussed.”
