"In 1957, the firm of Sturgill, Moreland & Turner opened its doors on High Street, in a building behind the Lexington Pontiac dealership Charlie Sturgill Motors. The dealership was owned by the father of the late Don Sturgill, one of the firm's founding partners.
Establishing a law practice wasn't easy, said founding partner Gardner Turner. Turner vowed he would stick with it, "even if I had to take another job pumping gas." One factor that helped the new firm endure, he said, was that "we were all from Lexington and had friends here who gave us their business and sent their friends to us."
Fifty years later, Turner is still sticking with it, and remains a part of the law practice. The offices of Sturgill, Turner, Barker and Moloney have risen to the 14th floor of the World Trade Center in downtown Lexington, but they still know the importance of friendship, and the employees still know how to celebrate.
At the firm's grand anniversary party for clients, family members and friends, guests could watch a video history of the firm that secretary Mary Myers put together for the occasion. Another secretary, Karen Jenkins, baked cakes, as she often does for the firm's parties. It's that kind of family atmosphere that has helped the firm to stand the test of time, not only as a reputable law firm but also as the top recipient among mid-sized companies on the most recent list of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky.
STBM focuses on civil litigation. The practice includes such areas of law as health care, tort, business and corporate, trusts and estates, and mediation. It is the only Kentucky law firm chosen to join the Employment Law Alliance, the major worldwide association for labor and employment lawyers.
Equine law is, of course, of local interest. STBM's late founding partner Don Sturgill developed this practice, which is carried on by Douglas McSwain, Andrew DeSimone and G. Thomas Barker.
But beyond their legal experience and credentials, the firm takes great pride in its family atmosphere.
"All of our partners are very family-oriented," said Lana McGinnis, office administrator. "They're good to go to [when an employee] has a sick child or an elder care issue."
Attorney Merrie Winfrey said, "Sturgill Turner values quality of life for its employees. We're allowed to have a life outside of work."
Paralegal Debra Gibby noted that, "We have events we can bring our families to."
"A lot of law firms have division between the lawyers and the clerks and secretaries," said Managing Partner Philip Moloney. "Our philosophy is that none of us can do what we do without everybody's best effort. Financial compensation isn't the same for all employees, but we try to treat everyone equally as people."
Myers agreed. "There's not that big dividing line here. And when you do something for someone here, it's 'thank you.' The praise and the appreciation they give you are wonderful."
Moloney added, "You have to communicate that people are valued, all the time. You can't just do that at annual evaluations."
Moloney and the other STBM partners show that regard for the other employees not only in formal work situations, but by adding fun events and celebrating whenever possible. The in-house newsletter, edited by paralegal Susan Cornes, lists not only employees' birthdays, but their anniversary dates of employment. Baby and wedding showers are attended by everyone.
Stephen Barker's wine tasting event for the summer law clerks went over so well that it's become a firm tradition for everyone. Other annual events include the firm's Christmas party, catered Thanksgiving dinner (a week before the event), and the pre-Kentucky Derby Hat contest.
Rather than just hold a staff meeting in the office, Moloney and a committee once created an elaborate scavenger hunt, as a team-builder. Teams searched for clues all over Lexington, before ending at the Kentucky Horse Park for prizes and the meeting.
McGinnis noted, "Phil's good at coming up with off-the-cuff things for us to do." She added, "The fun things we do are to give employees a few minutes away from their desks, to get refreshed."
Impromptu morale boosters such as afternoon ice cream socials allow employees to take a break before getting back to their demanding jobs. When UK games are televised during the day, they can stop by to watch some of the action and enjoy ordered-in pizza.
Moloney said, "We spend more than half of our waking hours at work. Why not make it as enjoyable as possible?"
Employees also bond by participating in community events, such as pro bono legal work, serving on agency boards, or working on Habitat for Humanity or the United Way's Extreme Makeover Days. STBM paralegals recently prepared wills for departing military personnel at a Saturday morning Wills for Heroes event.
STBM's employees have created an atmosphere of trust and respect for each other that truly make the firm a Best Place to Work. Donna Pelphrey, who intended to work there for a year or two, has been the receptionist for 19 years. She said simply, "I love the people here."
Winfrey summed up the feelings of her fellow employees when she said, "We all help each other out. It's nice to come to work and be with people you like."