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BizVoice
/Indiana Chamber –
May/June 2012
SMALL/MEDIUM COMPANIES
All in the family
The H&Z philosophy, from day one, has been to treat clients
like people instead of cases. The partners talk to as many of the
prospective clients as possible because “we can get them the right
fit,” Hollingsworth comments. “The people here have the
common thread of being compassionate toward others.”
Zivitz says many on the team have been impacted, directly
or indirectly, by divorce or other circumstances they now deal
with on a daily basis. “Most lawyers would agree … either you
love family law or you hate it. It’s either one or the other. I
think that’s what bonds us all together – it’s helping people.”
Eichholtz agrees, terming the atmosphere that has been
maintained as the “foundation of the firm.”
Perfect partners
Looking back, Hollingsworth reflects, “Neither one of us had
in mind when we first started that we wanted to build this big
firm or build this empire. We just really wanted to work together
and treat clients the way we wanted to and to have a place where
we like to go to work. It would have been fine with us if we never
hired another attorney. When we first started, we thought maybe
in one year we could hire an employee to answer our phones
and hopefully in five years we could hire an attorney. We had
hired an employee within a month and two attorneys within
the first year.”
The glue behind the H&Z firm is the two principals and
their close relationship.
Zivitz: “Our partnership has changed. We always knew we
wanted to open our own firm. We just didn’t know we were
going to do it as fast as we did.” She mentions having a third
founding partner and there was the attempted merger of a few
years ago. Without criticizing those efforts, Zivitz is confident
that “if it would have been just the two of us, it would have
gone a lot smoother. We realize now it’s just us and there’s no
changing that. It’s hard enough to be friends and be business
partners, and we’ve got it down.”
Hollingsworth: “I totally agree. Originally it sounded like
a great idea to have a third person, because if we disagreed,
who breaks the tie? We’ve learned so much about each other.
It sounds so corny and cheesy, but I could not be business
partners with anyone else. It’s like a marriage. It’s very, very
hard … but we trust each other so much.”
The WOW! Team:
Kevin Adams • Jane Alexander • Chris Alvey • Christian Andersen
• Jamie Arboneaux • Matt Barnett • Ethan Board • Rick Bowen • Janet Brammer
• Jason Branson • Dustin Brown • Michele Burnett • Barb Byram • Adam Cabello
• Kyle Campfield • Mary Casteel • Bill Chatmon • Kathy Clark • Mike Clark •
Julie Cline • Jeff Coleman • Lesley Collins • Chris Cubley • Mark Deckard •
Scotty DeLong • Jimmy DeTalente • Felecia Deveaux • Robert DiNardo •
Lee DuPont • Terry Durre • Chris Egan • Linda Faith • Stacy Falk • James
Fambrough • Tony Floyd • Robert Fortner • Aaron Galloway • Toby Gentry
• Mark Georges • Brad Gibson • Shawn Glenn • Ronna Green • Russell
Green • Cindy Roberts • Eric Hardison • Tom Harl • Jerel Hayden •
Jonathan Heichelbech • Traci Henney • Debra Herke • Jamie Hicks
• Mindy Hildebrand • Bart Holland • Nathan Hoover • Lori Hurt •
Don Inman • Billy Joyce • Pam Juncker • Steve Kalesia • Krystal
Kellams • Jacob King • Shay Kopshever • Andy Kremer • Larry
Kuehne • Ryan LaMar • James Large • Josh Lawrence • Branden
Lemmons • Will Lewis • Mike Linson • Jim Lowe • Larry Lowe • Cody
Maier • Mitzi Mathieu • Ron Mattingly • Derek Mayer • Jacob McDaniel
• Shawn McElroy • Tonya McKannan • Eric McMillen • Kevin Mearling •
Denise Meyer • Jerome Mhango • Melvin Miller • Ryan Mitchell • Alicia
Montooth • Phyllis Newman • Johnalee Nickens • Randy Niehaus •
Mark Owen • Jordan Parker • James Patterson • Gina Paulson • Rob
Peaugh • Heather Peters • Jessica Porter • Brad Quick • Ed Remole
• Charley Reneer • Terri Retter • Jamie Rhoades • Matt Richardson
• Ross Rickabaugh • Paul Riddle • Matthew Rister • Kelly Schiavone
• Chris Schneider • Zach Schroeder • Steve Shacklett • April Sharp •
Phil Sheridan • Frankie Shrader • Donna Simcoe • Cole Smith • Shad
Smith • Steve Stanfill • Courtney Stevens • Jerry Stofleth • Josh
Stone • Michelle Sullenger • Ryan Sweetwood • Karen Taylor • Jason
Thienes • Joyce Trible • Ryan Trimbath • Ryan Wagler • Rachel
Walters • Paul Ward • Nick Waters • Randy Weber • Leanne White
• Chris Wilkison • Kelly Williams • Lee Williams • Ryan Williamson
• Cain Wilson • Tom Wilson • Ryan Winiger • Aaron Woerz •
Dave Wooten • Jason Yaser • Derek Zint • Jordan Zuber
© 2012WideOpenWest Finance, LLC.
Johnalee, Sales, Evansville
Two Years
in a
row
Teamwork on the job is a key part of the H&Z culture.