This article was written about the longtime Valley law firm of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C. As of July 2020, the firm had hired more than 30 ASU Law graduates since the school opened. Founded in 1942, Jennings Strouss had deep roots in the legal and business community before its closure in 2023.
By Julie Tenney | July 27, 2020
Students in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University not only gain an exceptional experience at the nation’s No. 24-best law school, they have numerous opportunities to stay and work for prestigious firms right here in the Valley of the Sun.
Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C. is one of those firms. Among the largest and most distinguished law firms based in Arizona since its founding in 1942, Jennings Strouss is deeply rooted in the legal and business community, with its attorneys helping their growing list of clients succeed.
“The founders of this firm established a tremendous legacy for us at Jennings Strouss,” said managing attorney John Norling. “And we strive and work very hard to maintain that and will continue to do that in the future as we look forward to our next 75 years, and the only way we’re going to be able to do that is by hiring talented people out of law schools such as ASU.”
With Arizona offices in Phoenix, Peoria and Tucson, and a Washington, D.C., office, Jennings Strouss is well known for its rich heritage, commitment to community and long-lasting relationships. Backed by a deep understanding of business and law, the firm’s experts dedicate themselves to partnering with clients to achieve practical, strategic legal solutions.
“I’ve only practiced here (at Jennings Strouss) and in this day and age that’s a pretty unusual situation,” said J. Scott Rhodes, chair of the firm’s Legal Ethics Group, and a 1995 ASU Law JD and adjunct professor. “I think the reason for that is because this firm values people for what they are and lets them become the best that they can be.”
Almost a quarter of Jennings Strouss attorneys are ASU Law graduates, Norling said, with six graduates hired in just the past year. “The firm has had a strong history of supporting the (ASU) college of law. We’re very fortunate to have a very innovative, highly ranked law school right down the street from us.”
Consistently recognized as a top company to work for, Jennings Strouss has garnered several recent accolades including:
- Named one of the 2020 azcentral.com “Top Companies to Work for in Arizona” for the fourth year in a row. And for a second year in a row, Jennings Strouss is the only law firm ranked in the medium-sized company category of 100-999 employees.
- Named as a 2020 AZ Business Magazine and BestCompaniesAZ “Most Admired Company” for the fourth year in a row.
- Named one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Phoenix Business Journal from 2007–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2019.
- Jennings Strouss attorney Lindsay Leavitt selected by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the Valley’s 2020 Class of “40 Under 40” up-and-coming business leaders.
- Jennings Strouss corporate and tax attorney, Brett D. Siglin, has been recognized by Opportunity Zone Magazine as a 2020 “Top 25 OZ Influencers” in the category of attorney.
- Jennings Strouss attorney John J. Balitis, chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Department, has been elected as a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and has been ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2020 as a top labor and employment lawyer.
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Click here to read the July 2020 article published by Arizona State University.
ABOUT THE ATTORNEYS
Lindsay Leavitt is a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy. He represents and advises companies of all sizes in employment and business litigation matters. From mom-and-pop shops to publicly-traded corporations, Lindsay’s clients value his aggressive, yet practical approach to resolving their legal disputes.
Lindsay recognizes that most business disputes can be resolved without expensive and protracted litigation, and his clients often rely on him to solve their issues in a private and confidential manner, many times before a lawsuit is even filed. Sometimes, however, litigation is the only path forward and Lindsay has prevailed on behalf of his clients in disputes ranging from garden-variety employment matters to bet-the-company litigation.
John Norling is a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy. For over three decades, John has advised businesses, business owners, and individuals on all aspects of their operations, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. His substantive practice includes commercial transactions, real estate, business organizations, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, federal and administrative compliance, business contract negotiations, and advertising compliance.
Known nationally as one of the leading retail automotive industry lawyers in Arizona, John advises dealer clients on all legal and practical aspects of their operations, including the acquisition or sale of a dealership, the commencement of dealership operations through an add-point or newly acquired dealership, manufacturer and lending relationships, operational and consumer issues, ownership succession, and state and federal law compliance with regards to advertising regulations, franchise statutes, the Red Flags Rule, Safeguards Rule, Privacy Rule, and other state and federal regulatory and statutory schemes.