The Deuterman Law Group, a downtown Greensboro law firm that focuses on workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability cases, was a finalist in The Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” competition.

The annual competition recognizes Triad companies that provide good work environments for their employees through their policies, incentive programs, community involvement and benefits.

“The Best Places to Work” award winners and finalists are chosen based from nominations and input from employees. Winners are determined based on responses from employee feedback surveys conducted anonymously online with scores rated by a firm that conducts such surveys nationwide.

The Deuterman Law Group, which has 16 employees, was recognized in the smaller employer category during an awards ceremony Aug. 23 in Greensboro. The company will also be featured in the Aug. 24 issue of The Business Journal of the Greater Triad.

“We are honored to be selected as a finalist in this competition,” said Daniel L. Deuterman, president and founding attorney. “At the Deuterman Law Group, we really value our employees and the contributions they make to our firm and our clients. We strive to create a pleasant and positive work environment, and it’s gratifying to learn that our employees think we’re succeeding on that front.”

The Deuterman Law Group offers a full suite of health and insurance benefits, an IRA and family and medical leave. But the firm’s benefits go well beyond the basics.

The firm offers flexible working arrangements and hours, allowing employees to balance their personal and professional lives. Employees may bring their children to work or work at home, if necessary, and the firm even provides professional nanny care to working parents on staff.

Employees earn cash bonuses and gifts for providing stellar customer service. They also get time off to volunteer and to support local charitable organizations.

The Deuterman Law Group celebrates each employee birthday, and there are also special events planned around the holidays.

“We do not aspire to be a big law firm,” said Dawne Deuterman, the firm’s chief financial officer. “Our small staff feels more like family. Working with injured people is a stressful job. We don’t want to add to our employees’ stress, so we offer flexible working arrangements, family-friendly benefits and unique rewards and incentives.”

Such progressive policies have served the Deuterman Law Group well, and not just in terms of employee satisfaction and retention levels. The firm, which celebrated its fourth anniversary this summer, has experienced tremendous growth in that time. The firm has expanded twice and will soon move into a new downtown office building. The professional staff has increased from one attorney to three, and plans are under way to hire a fourth, as well as additional paralegals.

Founded in 2003 by principal attorney Daniel L. Deuterman and his wife, Dawne, the Deuterman Law Group represents injured and disabled workers in workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability cases. In helping injured workers obtain the medical care and financial compensation they need and deserve, the Deuterman Law Group is also helping improve lives for the workers’ families.

So, it’s no surprise that this law firm also cares about improving the lives of its employees, specifically through policies that make it easy for them to balance their work and their family lives.

Here are just two examples of that flexibility in action:

Robin Henley, a legal assistant, is allowed to leave work every day at 2:30 p.m. so that she can be home when her children return from school. And paralegal Renee Senters began working at home in the spring of 2006 after the premature birth of her son, Collin. When Senters’ presence is required at the office, she brings Collin, and the firm pays for a professional nanny to watch him.

“I’m just blown away by the Deuterman’s flexibility,” Henley said. “I’ve never worked in an environment like this before.” 

In addition, the company offers generous benefits that even many big corporations do not offer, including fully-funded health, dental, vision and life insurance, short- and long-term disability, extended maternity leave, paid personal time, generous vacation time and paid holiday leave. The Deuterman Law Group also offers matching IRA contributions to its employees.

The employees of The Deuterman Law Group are more than coworkers; they’re also friends. The office celebrates every employee’s birthday with a party, complete with gifts and a catered lunch and cake provided by the Deutermans. The firm also hosts baby and wedding showers for the staff and an annual Christmas party.

 “We’re a family firm, and we’re a firm that is a family,” said Dan Deuterman, expressing the philosophy that guides his business.

“It’s evident in everything they do that Dan and Dawne really care about their employees,” said Marketing Director Grace Kanoy. “When my youngest son, Sawyer, was born, they threw me a baby shower at their home. How many bosses do that for their employees? And the Deutermans were kind enough to let me work flexible hours from home until I felt comfortable returning to work full time. When I was nursing, they let me bring Sawyer to work with me. I’m never made to feel guilty if I have to take time off to spend with my children. Dan and Dawne really do have their priorities in order.”

Office administrator Peggy Walters enjoyed a similar arrangement after the birth of her child.

“I was able to work from home part-time for the last six weeks of my maternity leave so that I could still have some income without leaving the baby,” she said. “Once I returned to work, I was able to gradually increase my hours each week instead of jumping into full-time work immediately, and that aided in the transition.”

In addition, The Deuterman Law Group encourages its employees to become involved in the community through volunteer work. Dan and Dawne Deuterman have endowed a scholarship at the UNC School of Law with preference given to a law student from Guilford County. They donate their time and money to the March of Dimes, Kids’ Chance of North Carolina, The Greensboro Children’s Museum, Triad Health Project, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, New Garden Friends School and other causes about which they are passionate. They also recognize that their employees have similar passions and support them in those endeavors.

Here’s just one example of how they do that: Paralegal Erin Quintrell and her family volunteer at Britthaven nursing home weekly with their congregation from Cornerstone Baptist Church in Greensboro. Quintrell’s husband, who is a Sunday school teacher and lay minister, leads church services at Britthaven every Tuesday night.

Two years ago, Quintrell brought in tags from Britthaven’s angel tree and asked her employers and coworkers if they’d each be willing to sponsor a resident and buy gifts for that person for the holidays. The Deutermans decided to support Quintrell’s charitable work by paying for the gifts for all the residents. The Deutermans did the same for the 2006 holiday season, buying fleece blankets, socks, toiletries, Christmas ornaments, water bottles and sugar-free candy for the residents of Britthaven.

Quintrell said she’s thankful to work at a place like the Deuterman Law Group and grateful to her employers for their generous donation to Britthaven.

“It’s wonderful of them,” she said. “It’s definitely an encouragement to the people at Britthaven, and it’s definitely an encouragement to me. I realize how blessed I am to have the job I do.”