‘Thrill of the hunt’ keeps Gellings’ co-workers at the forefront of information

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When Emily Gellings was a graduate student at UW-Milwaukee, she was told by one of the professors in her library science program that she should probably think about doing something other than being a corporate librarian.

The field – which appealed to Gellings because of its emphasis on research – had too few open positions for too many job seekers. Fortunately for Gellings, she didn’t take those words to heart.

After graduating and working for a few years at a public library in Appleton, she went on to prove that there is room for her in the corporate world, first with a stint at Michael Best and now at Reinhart. As manager of Reinhart’s information resource center, she oversees a team of five librarians and an assistant who help the firm’s roughly 200 lawyers find answers to a myriad of legal questions.

“I love the thrill of the hunt and of finding just that right nugget of information,” Gellings said. “There’s no better feeling.”

Gellings said her work often has her and her team going beyond simply researching legal precedents and statutes. Reinhart’s mergers and acquisitions work, for instance, requires her to often delve into corporate records in search of pending litigation or similar matters.

The pandemic has given rise to a crop of labor-law questions touching on everything from the federal vaccine mandate to employers’ ability to require employees to return to the office. And then there’s the added difficulty of making sure lawyers can get a hold of the legal materials they need when so many people continue to work remotely. Gellings said people tend to overestimate how much can be found online.

Stephanie Larson, who works alongside Gellings, said, “Even with her busy schedule, Emily takes the time to show me key concepts, to explain in depth the various processes for completing requests, and to provide a prime example of how to deliver exceptional customer service to our attorneys and clients.”