The Detroit Free Press recently named Plunkett Cooney, one of the oldest and largest law firms in Michigan, to its list of “Top Places to Work” in 2008 based upon employee surveys and independent research about the firm.

“This honor validates the strategies the firm’s management team has implemented to help make Plunkett Cooney a great place to work,” said Henry B. Cooney, the firm’s President and CEO. “The fact that this award is based primarily on a survey of our employees makes the recognition even more meaningful.”

Initiatives implemented through Plunkett Cooney’s internal “Great Place to Work” program proved to be leading factors in the firm being ranked 15th among the top 30 companies in the survey’s medium size category. The Free Press partnered with WorkplaceDynamics to conduct the survey of 191 regional employers with at least 50 employees. Of the 111,000 workers employed in the participating industries, 23,372 employees voluntarily completed the extensive Free Press survey.

Employees rated their companies on 22 factors with prompts such as “My manager makes good use of my skills" and "I have many opportunities to learn and grow at this organization." What mattered most overall for the surveyed employees was the belief that their employer was moving in the right direction, followed closely by working for an employer that operates by strong values and ethics, and having confidence in the organization’s leader.

Generally, high marks went to the top employers for their management abilities, their willingness to help foster employees' careers and the direction in which their companies are headed.

Plunkett Cooney maintains a “Great Place to Work” program firm wide to enhance the work experience for all employees. This program goes beyond compensation to focus on added value benefits in addition to the traditional health, vision, dental and insurance plans offered by most companies. The program includes such opportunities as continuing education, special events, employee convenience services, diversity recruitment and retention, mentoring, wellness program and much more.

Plunkett Cooney has been recognized recently by several organizations for its employee retention programs, including the Michigan Business & Professional Association, which named the firm as one of the “Top 101 Places to Work For” four consecutive years from 2005 to 2008. Michigan Lawyers Weekly, a leading publication serving the state’s legal community, also recently named Plunkett Cooney among its “21^st Century Innovators” for the firm’s efforts to recruit and retain top legal talent.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney employs more than 150 attorneys in nine Michigan cities, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms.

For more information about Plunkett Cooney being named one of the “Detroit Free Press’ Top Work Places for 2008,” contact the firm’s Practice Development Manager, John Cornwell, at (248) 901-4008.

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