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Des Moines Business Record

By Joe Gardyasz

Although Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts is one of Iowa’s largest law firms, its attorneys and staff can always count on celebrating their colleagues’ birthdays and other special occasions with a cake and other goodies. And the firm’s annual potluck-style Thanksgiving dinner is simply huge, say employees.

 

The feeling that they’re appreciated is a theme that came through repeatedly in a recent workplace survey of its associates, whose ratings of their firm made it one of this year’s Best Places to Work winners.

 

“I’ve always felt from the time I very first came here that it’s a very friendly environment and people care about one another,” said Ann Herteen, the firm’s human resources director, who is approaching her 38th year with the practice. “It can be a very stressful environment because we’re working under hard-and-fast deadlines that are often court mandated. But we also take time to celebrate.”

 

Founded more than 75 years ago, the Davis Brown firm employs 68 attorneys and a support staff of 125, with offices located on the top floor of the Financial Center in downtown Des Moines. Early next year, the firm will move to the new 13-story Davis Brown Tower now under construction east of the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

 

Former District Judge George Brammer and his friend Joseph Brody founded the firm in 1929. Upon Brammer’s death 20 years later, the practice became known as the Brody firm. In 1965, the firm changed its name to Thoma, Schoenthal, Davis, Hockenberg & Wine. By 1974, the firm had grown to 40 attorneys and moved into the Financial Center. In the 1990s the firm's partners renamed the practice Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts P.C.

 

Davis Brown’s long history in Des Moines is a reflection of its culture, said Scott Brennan, one of its attorneys. He also attributes the firm’s success to its loyal and diverse client base, including individuals, private and public businesses, multinational corporations, nonprofit groups and the state.

 

“We’ve got a very loyal, hard-working and outstanding staff and outstanding attorneys that are recognized in their area of expertise,” he said.

 

Many of Davis Brown’s attorneys have spent their entire legal careers there, and a few have been with the firm more than 40 years.

 

From a human resources standpoint, “the firm was very good about realizing early on what people appreciate,” Herteen said, “and one of those things is flexibility. That seems to be a common thread of the comments that people made [in the survey], that they appreciate the firm valuing their personal lives, too, and allowing them time off to attend children’s programs and attend to personal business.”

 

The employees also use that flexibility to serve the community. Each year, the firm sends teams of volunteers to work during the United Way of Central Iowa’s annual day of caring to perform yard work, cleaning and other chores at Hospice of Central Iowa’s two Kavanagh House facilities. The attorneys are also involved individually on numerous charitable organizations’ boards and on a volunteer level throughout the community.

 

The law firm was probably among the first in Des Moines to hire part-time employees, Herteen said. Davis Brown employs people on a part-time basis at all levels, from high school and college students working for class credit to some of its best attorneys.

 

One attorney, for instance, went to a part-time status a few years ago to spend more time with her children. With her last child nearing college age, “I think there will be a line of people at the firm wanting her to come back full time,” Herteen said.

 

Scott Mikkelsen, a University of Northern Iowa graduate, began working at Davis Brown in August 2006. He received his law degree from the Duke University School of Law. 

 

“You’re given a lot of responsibility, but you’re not micromanaged,” said Mikkelsen, who first became familiar with the firm as a summer intern three years ago. “They’re going to let you do it; they trust you. But you also have levels of support you can get throughout the organization.”

 

The firm’s open-door policy encourages mentoring with more experienced attorneys, he said. “You could be working primarily in one area and have a question in another area entirely, and you can knock on their door and they’ll say, ‘Sure, I have five or 10 minutes, come on in.’ I think there’s no question that flexibility is evident here.”