Page 26 - Top Workplaces 2019

26 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 THE MORNING CALL

A global view toward staff’s life, careers

By Sarah Fulton Special to The Morning Call Maraleen Shields has Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba
been practicing law at the No. 3 small company
eing respectful while working “We’re firmfornearlyfiveyears.She
went there longing for a
hard and having fun are the hall- all in change from the Philadel- Founded: 1988 Employees: 73
marks of a career at prestigious phia firms she previously Ownership: Partnership
Sector: Law
Website: flblaw.com
BLehigh Valley law firm Fitz- this to- worked, which she said were
not nearly as respectful of
patrick Lentz & Bubba, which celebrated its gether. staff members.
30th anniversary in 2018. ... It’s a “I worked a ton of hours; I
The Upper Saucon Township firm has was just not happy at all,” FLB handles wills, closings, Attorneys
small local businesses, cor-
Shields said. “I was missing
built its success on those qualities, according great time with my husband and poratework,trials,insurance Josh Gildea
and Gretchen
to shareholder and original partner Timothy place to son. I enjoyed the work but I litigation and even mega- Petersen,
D. Charlesworth. work.” wasn’t enjoying life. I companies with branches in right, talk to
multiple countries. The firm
thought, ‘We’re going to do
paralegal
“I started with Fitz [founder Joe Fitz- this a little differently.’ ” is one of few in the area with Samantha
patrick] out of law school,” Charlesworth Gretchen She met FLB partner Jo- a licensed patent attorney on Mahalick at
said. “From the early days, that dynamic L. Petersen seph Bubba in Monroe staff. the law firm
County court and began get-
“In the Lehigh Valley, it’s
Fitzpatrick
really hasn’t changed a lot, but we’ve grown a ting to know him and the very high-brow stuff,” Lentz &
lot. Now we need name tags at holiday firm before she was invited Charlesworth said. Bubba in
Charlesworth is one of
to join.
parties.” “Now I live 12 minutes few international lawyers in Upper
Saucon
Thefirmhasseengrowthinthelastcouple from here and I’m able to the region. He is working Township.
years, bringing four more attorneys on staff, participate in activities with with a large client on busi- HARRY FISHER/
both my kids but I haven’t
ness developments in Asia.
and hiring has been competitive. Fitzpatrick had to give up a high level He also handles work in Lat- THE MORNING
CALL
Lentz & Bubba came in third place among practice,” Shields said. in America and Europe. He
Charlesworth said there is
small employers in the 2019 Top Workplaces a variety of legal work to be said FLB recently hired an
survey, its sixth year on the list. done at the firm each day. Please turn to Next Page