Jared L. Shwartz brings a collaborative, inquisitive approach to his practice. As a corporate and business attorney, Jared’s ability to work with clients large and small has given him a broad background in a myriad of industries. Recently elevated to partner, Jared shares what he enjoys about his practice, how Hinckley Allen has contributed to his success, and how important it is to stay curious.
Tell us about your practice.
As a corporate and business attorney, I spend a lot of time with clients working on projects ranging from everyday operational-legal matters to major company transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. Hinckley Allen is unique because we have the opportunity to work with law firms of all sizes on both sides of transactions across many industries. Most of the companies I work with are privately held or closely held which offers a unique opportunity to gain a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. When we work with family businesses undergoing a sale, we appreciate that our clients may have owned their business for a long time and that the transaction could represent a once-in-a-lifetime deal for them. I enjoy this work because when the deal is finished, I feel like the client’s success is our success.
This sense of team, is also present in the working healthcare and senior living. My healthcare work is focused on the provider side of things working with physician groups, dental practices, and vet practices on transactional and regulatory matters. In addition, I work with our clients in the senior living space, consisting of operators, service providers, and other stakeholders. My past work experience in the senior living industry brings a unique perspective on the matters that these clients face in providing much needed services to seniors throughout New England.
What is your approach when you work with clients?
With clients, I am most keen on ensuring that they feel like they remain in control of decision-making — advising them of the benefits and risks of a particular proposed project. I consider myself to be a business advisor in addition to providing legal counsel, and in this capacity I assist our clients with anticipating future needs. When a client is buying a business or starting a business, I help them look at the deal not just from a founder’s or buyer’s perspective, but from an operational perspective as well. For example, I will discuss whether insurance is in place for their business, whether they have an employee handbook ready, or whether they have drafted policies on the creation of software or other inventions during employment. We have specialists in-house that can advise clients on a myriad of issues that might arise during a transaction like employment, tax, environmental, and more. Our breadth of practice specialties ensures that client needs can be handled at a single firm. Because of this broad expertise, clients are able to confidently make fully informed decisions.
What do you enjoy about working at Hinckley Allen?
Hinckley Allen has allowed me to be successful in my practice, with respect to both the day-to-day practice of law but also with respect to building a practice of my own. The firm’s investment in its associates makes the difference. We are a top-notch firm because we ensure that associates have sufficient resources to learn the nuts-and-bolts of practice, develop clients, and to grow their book of business. Associates at Hinckley Allen are supported by marketing, are afforded continuing education opportunities across a wide variety of areas, and are given opportunities to hone their technical skills and soft skills.
The collegial nature of the firm and the firm’s culture makes Hinckley Allen a fantastic place to work. I very much look forward to the time I spend with my colleagues learning new areas of the law and working together as one team. When you work with great people, doing interesting work, it makes you want to see the firm succeed and help to contribute to that succeed. Beyond the day-to-day, Hinckley Allen is a great place to work because the firm has allowed me to have a family, raise a family, and be with my family, while still working at a high level and developing my own clients.
What do you think has contributed to your professional success?
Since college, I have surrounded myself with good mentors at work and in life which has been incredibly important. I’ve been very fortunate to have great mentors in my legal career. Frankly, I think the mentors that you surround yourself with make a huge difference in one’s career trajectory.
Additionally, I am always looking to learn. When I started out, I did a variety of legal work. I worked in real estate, finance and corporate and a lot of that was a function of wanting to learn. The learning doesn’t stop once you graduate from school. If I see two of my colleagues working on a whiteboard in the hallway, I’ll pop in and just sit and listen. I believe that as a corporate lawyer, I need to have a high level of general knowledge in a lot of different areas to know when an issue might arise for a particular client project.
Outside of practicing law, are there organizations that you are involved in?
I sit on the executive committee for the Boston University Law School Alumni Association, and sit on the governance and nominating committee for Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. I’m also on the board of the overnight summer camp I attended as a child which is a passion project of mine. I’m grateful that the firm has been nothing but supportive of my involvement with these groups, and am inspired by the firm’s commitment to ensuring that its lawyers are not only good practitioners but good community citizens as well.