Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for the 2017 MSJDN Members’ Choice Award by members who told us in their own words about the awesomeness of their employers. MSJDN is thrilled to tell these stories as a way of expressing our gratitude for employers supporting military spouses as they build careers in the legal profession.

The MSJDN Members’ Choice Award recipient will be announced at MSJDN’s Annual Reception in Washington, D.C. on May 10th.

Dykema Gossett is a law firm of over 400 lawyers serving clients around the world from 15 U.S. offices, including locations in Michigan, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Texas, California, and Minnesota.  Organizations of this size, especially law firms, often do not have reputations for being flexible and spontaneous. But MSDJN member Jillian Gordon Foerster described the firm as “supportive and flexible” in her nomination to recognize Dykema Gossett for their support of military families in the workplace.

Dykema Gossett employs two military spouses who work as full-time attorneys, one in the litigation group and the other in the tax group.  Both are based out of the San Antonio office, but work remotely from Louisiana and New Mexico.  Despite the unique challenges with the type of work and cases, the firm is committed to retaining the talent of their military spouse attorneys.

In her nomination, Jillian shared how the firm has supported her in working as an on-track, full-time associate for almost four years after her husband’s PCS  (Permanent Change of Station – a military move) away from San Antonio, where she was originally employed in the local office.  Thanks to the support of Dykema Gosset, she has been fully remote from Shreveport, LA.  The firm’s supportive spirit will continue, as Jillian’s family will PCS again this summer to the Washington, DC area.  The stressors associated with a relocation are lessened with the burden of the job hunt removed from the PCS equation.

Jillian also shared how the firm has provided technological support for a remote office and the issues and quirks that arise with such a set-up. When she needed to teach a client seminar but could not travel to Dallas to do so, they had the IT team set up a virtual training for Jillian to teach from her home in Shreveport.  Jillian said,  “I have never wanted for work or felt penalized in compensation/bonus matters for being fully remote.”

Dykema Gossett recognizes the value that military spouse attorneys bring to the firm and its clients, and has demonstrated its willingness to invest in those attorneys and find ways to retain them.  The firms sets an inspiring example by leveraging its existing policies and cultures in a way that allows it to retain talented attorneys who are, in turn, loyal to the firm. “Dykema is committed to its military spouse attorneys and for that I am truly grateful to them,” said Jillian.

Military families are grateful for employers like Dykema Gossett that provide meaningful opportunities for military spouses to maintain their careers. MSJDN is pleased to recognize the well-deserved nomination of Dykema Gossett for the 2017 Members’ Choice Award!

Find out the recipient of the MSJDN Members’ Choice Award at the 2017 Annual Reception in Washington, D.C. on May 10th. Tickets and information available here.