Our practice is designed to make the world a better place.  We started that way and we’ve been refining our approach ever since.  Our legal software vendor, Clio, recently featured SRH Law partner John Kassel in their podcast Matters for an episode called “Why Having a Mission Matters.”  Clio chose to interview our Reisman, Community Champion award-winning firm because we are a mission-based law firm. Making a difference is our practice.

In the podcast, John recounts the history of Dunkiel Saunders and how our mission has grown from a focus on clients in the energy and environmental sectors—those curbing carbon emissions, reducing pollution, transitioning to clean energy sources, safeguarding water resources, and securing our energy future–to also serve clients who provide affordable housing and access to health care, and otherwise  transform our communities and serve our bottom line of advancing a values-led economy.

In the podcast John explains why we have a mission, how we make it real, and why it matters.  Sam Glover, the founder of Lawyerist, a community for solo and small law firms, is also interviewed and addresses similar issues, as an inspiration to lawyers striving for meaning and satisfaction in their professional lives. Listen to the podcast here:

SRH Law is pleased to announce that John Kassel, one of the original founding members of the firm, has been named managing partner.  John served in an Of Counsel capacity with the firm over the past year, following his role as President of the Conservation Law Foundation from 2009-2014.  Prior to co-founding the firm in 2002, John served as Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources in the administration of Gov. Howard Dean, and as a prosecutor and commercial litigator before that.

In his new capacity as Managing Partner, John will oversee the firm’s operations, management, and strategic initiatives.  He will also continue to provide legal counsel to the firm’s clients, focusing on energy and environmental issues, and strategic consulting for non-profit and for-profit entities.

The firm is also pleased to announce several staff promotions and the creation of a new core management team. Following the retirement last summer of our long-time Office Manager, Ki McClennan, the firm restructured its administrative management.  This will enable us to better serve our clients, offer growth opportunities for our staff, and make a greater positive difference in the world.

This fall we welcomed Suzanne Schipper to the firm as our Bookkeeper, with a sole focus on our financial systems, including those we use for billing, receipts, and handling client funds.  Suzanne brings over 20 years of experience in bookkeeping, accounting, and office management to the firm.

Lucia White, one of the firm’s excellent paralegals, has been promoted to the newly created position of Practice Manager, with responsibility for the smooth and efficient production across the firm of the high-quality legal work that we value.

In addition, our administrative assistant, Grace Grundhauser, has been promoted to Law Office Coordinator, and has assumed direct responsibility for many of the important day-to-day administrative functions of the firm.

This team, along with Senior IT Specialist Bryan Cooke, will continue to improve our administrative and client-facing systems so that we can work more efficiently and provide better service to our clients.  The team will also help us to better track and assess our work, and strategically direct our efforts, so that we can continue to make the world a better place by helping our clients achieve their admirable goals and objectives.