Aliza Herzberg Explains the Value of Going Beyond Expectations

Attorney Aliza Herzberg sums up her firm’s approach pretty well. “We’re practical. We’re nimble. We come in and get the job done.”

As a boutique employment law firm addressing HR solutions and crisis management, Herzberg Law Group is well positioned to work with both small and large employers. “We help companies deal with all kinds of employment issues,” Herzberg says, “policy manuals, training, day-to-day counseling and advice, crisis management, agency practice and litigation... anything that has to do with a company and its relationship to its employees.”

But despite its relatively small size, Herzberg explains that the firm succeeds largely because of the way the team over-delivers for its clients—specifically in crisis management situations.

SEEING BENEATH THE ISSUE

When Herzberg Law Group is called in to help, its attorneys are conditioned to dig below the surface and look for underlying issues. “We try to be holistic and figure it out.”

And if the team does discover something amiss, Herzberg says she’s not shy about letting the employer know.

That’s a pleasant surprise for clients. Herzberg explains that she’s not just an outside lawyer, she’s an outside advisor. “I tell them that this is art, not science,” she quips. “I will comment on things to identify the root of certain issues and correct them. Sometimes these are outside of [legal matters], because I want messaging to be correct.”

Herzberg says the extra effort is worth it. “Clients are much more satisfied because they get much better results.”

AN EMERGING EMPLOYMENT LAW TREND?

It appears as though Herzberg Law Group may be ahead of the curve on this trend. By addressing underlying or ancillary symptoms of the issue, Herzberg says she’s able to help prevent future problems—an approach that’s becoming increasingly popular in the arena of employment law. “It really is a great shift,” Herzberg states. “And that’s our way of practicing.”

She continues, explaining that they’ll pursue an investigation “to make sure that we’ve nipped whatever issue there is in the bud.”

Herzberg notes that more and more companies are now seeing the value in spending money up front with proper training and policies, rather than risking significant costs later if/when a crisis develops. She says companies are investing in more fulsome investigations to reveal and resolve problems quickly, instead of waiting for larger issues to manifest.

INTEGRATING THE FIRM CULTURE

Herzberg explains that a propensity to go beyond a client’s expectations is an integral part of the firm’s personality—itself an offshoot of the way Herzberg likes to practice. “Even if I’m handling litigation issues, and I see that there are procedural issues that have caused problems, I tell the company…I wouldn’t leave that to the side.”

And she says it’s really valuable for her to view all tasks through her specialized legal lens. “When you’re an employment lawyer,” Herzberg explains, “you think about that employment relationship all the time.”

She also points to the importance of understanding the business and being conversant in the language of your clients. While Herzberg makes it clear that she’s not there to necessarily give business advice, she does stress the importance of having a business acumen so that you’re better able to serve your clients.

POSITIONED FOR THE FUTURE

When asked about the possibility of growing into other practice areas, Herzberg quickly responds. “I like being a boutique employment firm. We really love what we do and wouldn’t want to dilute that passion.” She also explains that the firm’s expertise is very much in demand.

She then speaks to Herzberg Law Group’s employee makeup as a potential advantage. “It’s been wonderful to see the reception from our clients on the fact that we’re women-owned, and we come to the table with a different orientation.”

All these characteristics give the firm a strong footprint in the employment law market—even in the face of competition from much larger firms. And Herzberg is very optimistic, stating “a small firm can service really significant and important matters for a company. We shoulder the burden of our clients’ contentious situations and proactively work to keep our clients free of problems. We’ve been doing that for the last several years, and we plan to continue.”