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T W O - T I M E H O N O R E E
Heller Draper
Hayden Patrick
& Horn
There is no revolving door at Heller, Draper,
Hayden, Patrick & Horn. Rarely do
employees leave the downtown New Orleans
law firm, which specializes in bankruptcy and
commercial and insurance litigation, to pursue
other career opportunities.
“It shows people enjoy working here,” said
partner Tristan Manthey, who joined the firm
as a law clerk in 1996. “It shows that it’s a
sought-after place to work at.”
Since paralegal Roxanne Holden was hired
six years ago, only two new employees have
joined Heller Draper, which has 36 full-time
workers.
“Really and truly, it’s hard to even get your
foot in the door because there’s nothing as far
as turnover,” Holden said. “I’m going to die
here. They’re going to have to push me out
the door. Other people I know at other firms,
they’re continuously saying, ‘Roxie, let me
know if there’s an opening.’”
Employees said they enjoy the firm’s light,
family-like atmosphere and its compassion
toward its workers’ responsibilities outside
the office.
“My first year here working for Heller
Draper, everything in the world that could
have possibly happened, happened,” Holden
said. “From the death of my brother to my dad
having three or four (heart) attacks to my son
Nature of business: law firm
Where based: New Orleans
Employees: 36
Average starting salary: $28,000 to $48,000 for staff,
$75,000 for attorneys
Median salary: $45,000 for staff, $362,000 for attorneys
Average employment time: 12 years
Benefits: health care with 87 percent coverage, dental, vision
and prescription plans, 401(k) with 5 percent match, paid maternity
and paternity leave, day care options, telecommuting, flexible
hours, job sharing, employee recognition program
Wait time for benefits: none
Paid days off: up to 32 holiday and vacation days, 10 sick days
Web site: www.hellerdraper.com
From left: Heller Draper Hayden Patrick & Horn employees Sandy Albert, Bernerd Berins and Lee Ann Wright wrap Christmas presents
for needy families.
getting rushed to the hospital. Here I am
thinking, ‘Any day now they’re going to call
me and they’re going to let me go,’ because
that’s what law firms do.
“Because they were as good as they were
to me and were very understanding, it makes
you want to do better for them. It makes you
want to work harder for them because they
are a great bunch of people.”
Manthey said he has had opportunities to
work for other law firms.
“But I can tell you unequivocally that I’m glad
I stayed with Heller Draper because it is a firm
that truly cares about its employees,” he said.
“Something else that I think is important to
note is the amount of people that come back.
A lot of times people think the grass is greener
at another place, and the one or two people
who have left through the years have made
their way back because they know how special
this place is.”
One of those employees is legal assistant
JoLynn Marino, who began working at Heller
Draper in 1983. She left the firm from 1998 to
2000 for a part-time position elsewhere.
“I cried on my last day here because I didn’t
want to leave,” she said.
“If someone is out sick, we will call on the
weekend,” Marino said. “We will call to check
to see how somebody’s child is doing or
somebody’s husband is doing. To me, that’s
something extra that other places don’t have.
It’s just a closeness.”•
— Ryan Chatelain
54 2009 Best Places to Work