Neider’s open-door policy keeps the firm’s doors open

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One of the perks of starting your own firm is that you get to set its goals and mission.

That’s exactly what Charles Neider and Joe Boucher did when they formed Neider & Boucher. Some of those goals include providing the highest quality services, always being professional, and working as a team.

Twenty-one years later, the firm is standing strong.

Neider, the firm’s president, credits his and his partner’s strict adherence to those principles for the firm’s success.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy what you believe in,” he said. “That’s what attracts clients to come here.”

But that means the firm as a whole also has to believe in those goals, something Neider has achieved while at the helm.

“Every day you have to look at those goals and say, ‘Those are what motivate us, those are why we’ve formed the firm, and if we adhere to those goals we will be successful,’” he said. “This will be a fulfilling place to work and the firm will be successful.”

But leading the firm is only one component of Neider’s job. The experienced business attorney’s clients include everything from real estate firms to life-science companies.

“I like to help clients reach their goals,” he said. “I like to solve problems and act as a counselor. And I enjoy being among one of the clients’ most trusted advisors. I consider myself successful if they consider me to be that.”

Balancing his role as both a leader and practicing lawyer for the firm, however, is the biggest challenge for Neider. But he has the firm’s management team behind him, as well as others.

“We work as a team and we have a terrific support staff that helps implement those leadership decisions,” said Neider. “That makes the leadership management role easier to accomplish.”

Neider has also taken young lawyers under his wing. The firm’s mentoring program places an emphasis on helping young lawyers develop their careers long-term.

He noted that as a young lawyer, more experienced lawyers were open to giving him advice. But a forward-looking program like Neider & Boucher’s just didn’t exist then.

The program goes a step further than just creating an open-door policy for young lawyers who are seeking advice. It pairs shareholders with younger lawyers and calls for monthly meetings where goals are set and performance is measured.

“My door is always open and when someone has an issue or someone needs to talk about something they’re trying to resolve, they know they’ve got someone they can go to,” Neider said. “They can talk to me or one of the shareholders.”