CUA Cover Winter 2004 final (Page 2) - Columbus School of Law

PEOPLE INActionAlums Get a ‘Firm’ Gripon Their Careersby Gina AmeroWhile some people spend agreat deal of time regrettingtheir career choices, thereare those like CUA alumni Scott Gillyand Douglas Wigdor who have neverbeen plagued by the nagging doubt of“What if?” So what did it take to getthem to the point of occupationalbliss? Intense motivation, a five-yearplan and a willingness to take a riskthat many lawyers dream of doing butnever get around to acting upon: theyfounded their own law firm.“The idea of controlling our owndestiny was more appealing to usthan what a large law firm partnershipoffers,” Wigdor said. “To me, it hasbeen the best career decision I evermade, without question.”A great career decision indeed,as Wigdor and Gilly are now partnersin a successful New York-based litigationfirm known as Thompson Wigdor& Gilly LLP. The firm, which was startedbarely one year ago, specializes inemployment law, criminal trial work,sports and entertainment law, laborrelations and civil rights. Within thefirst four months of business,Thompson Wigdor & Gilly handled thenationwide civil rights class action suitfiled against Federated DepartmentStores and Macy’s alleged racial profilingof alleged shoplifters, as well asa class action suit against Reuters.These high-profile cases haveexposed them to both national andLeft-to-right: They hung their shingle less than a year ago, butalready Douglas Wigdor, Kenneth Thompson and Scott Gillyare shooting to the top.international media attention andafforded them coverage on thefront page of The New York Times —priceless publicity for a young firm.“When we started the firm, weplanned that we would have somelean years. Fortunately, we have had alevel of business that has surprised allof us,” Wigdor said. “In the short timewe have been doing this, it has beena tremendous success.”With a growing support staff anda prime office location on the 57thfloor of the Empire State Building,Wigdor and Gilly have come a longway from their beginnings in thetraditional large firm setting. Now, thelong hours they put in are a littleeasier to bear knowing that they areworking for themselves. Prior tostarting their firm, Scott Gilly andDouglas Wigdor wereassociates in the NewYork offices of MorganLewis & Bockius,where they worked inthe firm’s labor andemployment practice.While they were contentworking forone of the mostprominent management-sidelabor andemployment firms inthe country, both Wigdorand Gilly sawbigger and betterthings on the horizon — they wantedto be in command of their own future.Sharing in their vision wasKenneth P. Thompson, a fellow associateat Morgan Lewis and the thirdpartner in Thompson Wigdor & Gilly.Together, the trio started to makelong-term plans for breaking out ontheir own. Over a year’s period, theyhashed out a partnership agreement,business plans and the detailsinvolved in starting their own practice.From letterhead, to a Web site, tomalpractice insurance, the youngentrepreneurs planned their entirebusiness outlook while still maintainingtheir demanding positions atMorgan Lewis.“Individually, we all came togetherthrough following very differentpaths,” Gilly said. “We all have“We reflect back to when we were law students and the valuable guidance we received fromalumni who were in touch with the student body. We feel committed and believe it is importantto share that same dedication to the school by giving them the same opportunities wehad to build relationships with practicing lawyers.”8 CUALAWYER /Winter 2004