Our Values
Our values are our competitive advantage
Our relationships with our colleagues, clients and community are our biggest differentiator. We deliver on those relationships through our core values—All In, Excellence, Respect and Giving Back—and they in turn guide our decisions and actions each day. Put simply, our values are our competitive advantage. They enable us to remain focused on achieving our strategy of being a national boutique with complementary, specialized and high-value practice areas, no matter the business climate. They add meaning to our work. And, they allow us to recruit and retain the best talent. Our values thrive when we take individual responsibility for living them day-to-day and can count on each other to do the same.
ALL IN
Everyone brings their all. We have a contagious passion, energy and pride for the work we do and the relationships we build. We constantly seek opportunities for our clients, our communities and the firm.
EXCELLENCE
We are relentless in our pursuit of excellence. We outhustle and outperform our competition. The work we take on is both high profile and high stakes. Our clients expect and deserve the best possible outcomes, but we aren’t content to just meet that expectation—we consistently strive to exceed it.
RESPECT
Our relationships are built on mutual respect—for each other, our clients and the communities we serve. Respect requires honesty, integrity and transparency. It demands that we say what needs to be said, even if it’s not popular. It means that we have each other’s back, especially under pressure, and that we embrace the different perspectives of our colleagues.
GIVING BACK
We are all members of communities—both within the firm and outside. What we give to these communities comes back to us in many ways. Whether it’s contributing to the firm through a committee, doing pro bono work or donating time and resources to a nonprofit, the energy we put into these efforts is as rewarding for us as it is for the people and causes we support.
Mark F. Leonard Award
In 2016, we introduced the Mark F. Leonard Award to annually recognize one employee who embodies these core values and inspires this behavior in others. Shareholder Mark Leonard received the inaugural award and serves as its namesake. Click here for a video to learn more about why Mark inspired this award.
Current Winner
In 2024, Brownstein recognized Carrie Johnson, co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Department, as the Mark F. Leonard Award recipient. To learn why Carrie was selected, read the award announcement and watch the following video.
Past Winners
2023: Larry McDonald, IT Director
Award Announcement | Award Video
2022: Lara Day, Chief Culture and Communications Officer
Award Announcement | Award Video
2021: Joel Abell, Office Services and Facilities Manager
Award Announcement | Award Video
2020: Russ Sullivan, National Tax Policy Group Chair
Award Announcement | Award Video
2019: Nancy Crawford, Chief Human Resources Officer
Award Announcement | Award Video
2018: Ellen Schulhofer, Las Vegas Office Managing Partner
Award Announcement | Award Video
