James A. Shield III saw a need.
An increasing number of local law firms were using temporary lawyers to help with short-term litigation support staffing.
So Shield decided to start PartnerJD as a way to tap into that need for legal staffing.
"I talked to them about the nature of their projects, their frequency of need, the competitive environment, etc.," he said about the contract temporary attorneys working in the Richmond area and attorneys in local law firms that use contract workers.
"Based on my research, I was confident that PartnerJD would be successful."
He and Karen Booth Adams opened PartnerJD in June to provide law firms and Fortune 500 companies with temporary litigation support staffing.
PartnerJD also offers permanent placement services for attorneys. This year it will add contract temporary and permanent placement services for paralegals.
"We staff attorneys for interim projects. They review electronically stored information that pertains to ongoing litigation," Shield said. "We can also provide experienced attorneys for ad-hoc projects."
Shield's targeted list of clients includes major law firms. The company now actively represents 300 to 350 contract attorneys.
"That number is growing on a daily basis," Shield said.
Some of PartnerJD employees include attorneys who have been laid off because of the economy or retired attorneys looking to supplement their retirement income.
"We have a diverse and talented work force," Shield said. "A lot of people are looking for work because of the economic slowdown."
Shield relies mainly on recommendations from attorneys and local law school career departments to build his work force.
"We find our best candidates through referrals and relationships we have forged with law schools," he said.
Employees include law school graduates such as Russell Kruse, who was looking for interim work while applying for a job.
As a newly licensed attorney, Kruse saw working for PartnerJD as a way to boost his income and make business contacts while looking for permanent work.
"Working for PartnerJD is a great fit for someone in my position because they provide a degree of stability which allows me to plan for what can feel like an uncertain future," Kruse said.
During his two-month-plus tenure with PartnerJD, Kruse worked at an area law firm on the document preparation and production for upcoming trials. He likes the fact that PartnerJD keeps in close contact with its work force.
"[They] are great to work with," he said. "They take an active interest in their employees."
Attorney Erin Matthews agreed. She worked at PartnerJD from October through mid-November while waiting on the results of her Virginia Bar exam.
"He was friendly and easy to talk to," Matthews said of Shield. "He would have employee appreciation parties and stop by the law firm to bring bagels and doughnuts."
Contracts for work vary in length, from a week to six months. Most average 60 to 90 days.
Because of its ever-growing work force, PartnerJD can handle large jobs that require up to 40 attorneys at a time.
"We were able to assemble a 36-member team for a client in one weekend," Shield said.
In October, The Venture Forum, a local group that brings together venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, named PartnerJD as one of the Richmond-area companies to watch.
PartnerJD recently opened an office in Washington. "We plan to expand regionally and nationally," Shield said.
His partner in the venture is Adams, who has invested in or owns several start-up companies in the Richmond area, including launching Hot Technology Holdings and investing in Fahrenheit Technology and Ironworks Consulting.
She started luxury children's furniture e-tailer PoshTots.com with a partner in 2000. They sold it in 2006, and the partner bought the company back last year.
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