Crain’s Cleveland Business Spotlights the Culture Behind Frantz Ward’s Third “Best Places to Work” Recognition

Crain’s Cleveland Business took a closer look at the culture behind Frantz Ward’s third consecutive ranking on the Best Places to Work in Ohio list, placing fifth in the state.

The piece highlights how Frantz Ward’s culture keeps people around. Thirty-eight current staff members have been with Frantz Ward since it opened in 2000, and the average tenure across the firm now runs 14.5 years, a length of service that is rare among law firms.

“The key to a quarter-century of success is knowing that culture matters over profit,” Managing Partner Christopher G. Keim said in the spotlight. Chris, who has been with the firm for 24 of its 26 years, said hiring is where it starts. Frantz Ward leads with its culture when recruiting, and he wants every person at the firm to be proud of where they work. He noted that people show up to the office because they want to be close to their work and their colleagues.

Additionally, the firm puts effort into building connection across its offices. The firm marked its 25th anniversary with 25 Days of Fun, a celebration that brought people together throughout the year for a variety of events. Its Lateral Lunch and Learn series gives recent arrivals a platform to connect with the entire firm. Frantz Ward keeps the whole firm up to date with a weekly newsletter, quarterly firmwide meetings, and an annual state-of-the-firm address.

Chris also shared that community involvement remains central to the firm’s culture, highlighting that the firm’s attorneys and staff support roughly 200 nonprofit organizations through pro bono representation, board service, charitable giving, and volunteer hours.

The article recognized the firm’s Community & Culture Committee and Women’s Initiative for bringing in third-party training, hosting outside speakers, and taking part in regional programs including the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) Midwest Diversity Fair, the 1L Clerkship Program, and Equitas Health’s Name Change Legal Clinic.

Read the full spotlight here (subscription required), published in Crain’s Cleveland Business.

To be considered for inclusion on the Best Places to Work in Ohio list, companies participate in a two-part survey process. The first part, worth 25% of the evaluation, assesses each company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part, worth 75%, consists of a confidential employee engagement and satisfaction survey that measures each employee’s experience of the workplace and its culture.