Change Agents

For the people of Ciresi Conlin, the professional is deeply personal.

When Mike Ciresi, Jan Conlin, and Katie Crosby Lehmann set out to create a new kind of law firm, they knew one factor came before the rest: the right people. They needed a team that shared their vision, attorneys who felt a calling to go after justice where others feared to tread.

Mike, Jan, and Katie didn’t have to scour the legal world to find those people. Instead, change agents came to them, inspired by the chance to pursue the firm’s community-driven mission.

People like me. I’d spent my academic and professional career looking for ways to make a difference, from clerking for the ACLU to teaching math and science with Teach for America. The firm’s philosophy aligned with my own — and it was more than words. The founders have dedicated their lives to doing right by their clients and their community, even when it’s hard.

“Best decision in my professional career,” my fellow associate Barry Landy said. “We don’t have to pretend to be like anyone else. We take on the right cases and have access to incredible mentors every day. We’re committed to serving the best interests of the people we work for. There’s no opportunity like it.”

 “We don’t have to pretend to be like anyone else.” — Barry Landy

“These are real relationships,” adds Landy. “Here I interact with some of the most respected attorneys in our field. I’m constantly learning and being pushed outside my comfort zone. It’s refreshing at this point in my career to be trusted and allowed to do my job.”

With the freedom to choose the right cases, not just the most lucrative or prestigious ones, we fight the battles that need to be fought. Why stick our necks out? Why take risks and make waves when there are easier paths to success? The answer is simple: it’s the right thing to do.