For the second consecutive year, the Detroit Free Press has named Plunkett Cooney, one of the oldest and largest law firms in Michigan, to its list of “Top Places to Work” for 2009 as determined by employee surveys and independent research.

“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 feedback from 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 18th among the top 30 companies in the survey’s medium size category. The Free Press partnered with WorkplaceDynamics of Exton, PA to conduct the survey of 173 regional employers in three categories ranging in size from small businesses to employers with over 500 workers. Of the 111,000 workers employed in the participating industries, 32,363 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 beyond 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 programs 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, for five consecutive years (2005-2009), one of its “101 Best & Brightest Places to Work For.” Michigan Lawyers Weekly, a leading publication serving the state’s legal community, named Plunkett Cooney for the second consecutive year as one of its “21^st Century Innovators” for efforts to recruit and retain top legal talent.

The firm’s clients have also honored Plunkett Cooney by mentioning it unprompted when asked to name their top legal service providers during a recent national survey conducted by BTI Consulting, a leading research provider to the legal industry. Plunkett Cooney was honored in seven survey categories for it commitments to adding value and providing outstanding client service.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney employs more than 150 attorneys in nine Michigan cities, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm, which provides a range of transactional and litigation defense services, 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 2009,” contact the firm’s Practice Development Manager, John Cornwell, at (248) 901-4008.

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