Az Business Leaders magazine spotlights Arizona’s influential business leaders. Today, meet James Goodnow, CEO, Fennemore.
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James Goodnow, CEO, Fennemore
Background: Goodnow is the CEO of Fennemore, the fastest-growing law firm in the U.S. with 18 offices and 700 legal professionals. By creatively deploying technology and focusing on business discipline, the Harvard Law and Cambridge Business School grad’s forward-thinking strategies have helped catapult the firm to the #1 firm in the country for year-over-year revenue growth.
Source of pride: “Nothing makes me prouder than Fennemore’s industry-leading retention and job-satisfaction statistics. I love the fact that so many people want to call Fennemore home for their careers. I’m in that category too; I started at the firm as a summer file clerk when I was in college and never looked back. I still pinch myself knowing I get to work with so many great people who truly care about one another.”
Professional advice: “‘There’s a way to do it better. Find it.’ This wasn’t direct advice — it’s actually a quote attributed to Thomas Edison. But it’s always resonated with me. The notion of continuous improvement is something we embrace at Fennemore.”
Movie with impact: “‘The Firm.’ The classic Tom Cruise flick lit a fire for me to go to law school. I was initially a little disappointed when I learned that real-life lawyers don’t regularly take trips to the Cayman Islands for work or jump out of windows into the back of trucks while being chased by criminals. But it turns out that real-life lawyering is still fun — and a lot safer.”