What made you decide to launch your firm 10 years ago?
Female trial lawyers are scarce. Female- and minority-owned litigation firms are even harder to find. In that scarcity, Sara Lincoln and Tricia Derr visualized a movement, along with an entrepreneurial opportunity. So they left good jobs, good people and a secure future in the midst of a severe economic downturn to launch Lincoln Derr. Colleagues questioned their decision, and their sanity. But our founders were steadfast. Focusing on efficiency, employee satisfaction and client satisfaction, they believed they could build a better law firm. And they did. Over the past decade, our firm has grown from two attorneys to 10. We provide outstanding service. We don't waste our clients' money. And we love what we do.
What's the state of diversity in law now, 10 years later?
There is so much work to be done. Women make up less than 35 percent of attorneys at law firms, yet women now outnumber men in law schools across the country. The percentage of women with equity partnerships is even lower, at about 20 percent. Why does that matter? Diversity of talent brings diversity of thought and creates the best possible solutions, no matter what your discipline. Clients are seeing great results coming from our diverse teams and coming to realize diversity is good for business. Period.
What challenges have you faced over the years?
Leadership inside the courtroom is quite different from leadership in a business enterprise. We had to learn a lot about managing our business and the people in it. The process hasn't always been easy, but the rewards have been profound. We're building a legacy — a firm that will continue to thrive long after we're gone and a team of lawyers who will infuse the Charlotte legal community with quality and diversity for years to come.
What has Lincoln Derr learned over the past decade?
Results matter. Our successes are directly tied to staying client-centric, developing our team and staying close to our community. We have learned that these things yield results we can be proud of. And they matter.
What is unique about the Lincoln Derr culture?
It has taken some time and a lot of investment, but the culture at the firm today is stronger than it has ever been. The firm added a yoga room, yoga classes, individualized technology budgets and full health insurance coverage for all team members because we came to realize one vital point: When your team knows the firm cares about them, values their growth, and supports their pursuit of individual passions, that team gets even stronger.
Any secrets to success?
Guts, grit and stamina. You have to be 100 percent committed to success to achieve it. We are constantly reminding ourselves and our team to never get greedy, to treat our clients the way we want to be treated and to love what we do, every single day.
What's next for Lincoln Derr?
We will continue to grow in very strategic ways. We never want growth to blur our mission, but we do want to meet the demand that has kept us going since day one. We plan to grow our Labor and Employment practice area while intentionally preserving our level of service and internal culture. And we will continue to encourage team members to develop their own personal brands. Clients hire lawyers, not law firms, and we are committed to making our people the very best they can be.
Originally published in the Charlotte Business Journal, January 2019
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