Sebaly Shillito + Dyer was established as an independent Dayton Law Firm 1986. Now, with more than 35 years in business, we are stronger and happier than ever before.
The founders of the firm, Jon Sebaly, Bev Shillito, and Jim Dyer, worked together in a large, regional law firm in Dayton in the late 1970s and early 1980s. That experience provided them with outstanding training and exposed them to a high-end corporate law practice. Each of them decided, independently, to leave that firm and pursue other career opportunities. Jon became managing partner of one of the offices of a national law firm. Bev became in-house counsel for an international, publicly-traded company. Jim joined a national law firm in Atlanta. Although each was enjoying a successful practice, they felt that something important was missing.
Ultimately, the founders decided that the missing ingredient was the close, working relationship they enjoyed while practicing together.
In 1986, Jon approached Bev and Jim with a proposition. They would again join forces and create a unique law firm. While the trend at that time was to create a law firm structure that ensured control and exclusivity in the upper levels of ownership and management (e.g., multiple tiers of “partnership”), Jon, Bev, and Jim were committed to the proposition that the firm as an organization must at all times take precedence over the individuals who make up the firm. Their newly-formed law firm would engage in a fully-integrated practice and all individuals would play a vital role in the success of that firm.
The founders spent countless hours formulating a recipe for success that incorporated the Core Values they envisioned for the firm. In short, they founded a firm without hierarchy. Their firm would recognize and reward the value and contribution of each individual, from the receptionist to the most senior partner. That firm would strive to make each client a “firm client” that could rely on each and every SS+D attorney for assistance and counseling.
Over the years, the firm has grown and prospered. At first, the growth was based upon lateral hires. In particular, attorneys from their original firm, such as Mike Moloney and Gale Finley, were brought in to broaden the practice base as well as the client base. Other lateral hires came from various large regional firms. Each was looking for the kind of unique practice experience offered by SS+D. Later the firm began to recruit and hire from the best law schools in the Midwest.
The firm has consistently continued to grow since its inception. New clients come to the firm almost on a daily basis. All of the firm’s clients know they can expect superior work product and responsiveness. They know that their attorneys will always be available to take care of their needs. They know that theirs is an attorney-client relationship they can always count on.
Core Values
We are proud to maintain our practice based upon the following core values. We work hard every day to ensure that these values are reflected in the actions of each person associated with the firm.
High-Quality Service
We provide high-quality legal services in the best interests of our clients. Every piece of work is important, not just those that are lucrative for the firm. While critical to our business and important to all of us, making money is secondary to the professional services we provide.
Dynamic & Entrepreneurial
We are an entrepreneurial and dynamic firm. As individuals, we will constantly seek new opportunities for the firm’s and our own personal growth and strength. Every person in the firm continuously will strive to be better at what he or she does.
Team Focused
We function as a team and not as a loose-knit collection of individuals. We encourage each other to make a commitment and meaningful contribution to the firm.
Community Driven
We are a community of professionals made up of persons with and without law degrees. Both are essential if the firm is to succeed. We support, trust, and respect each other, both personally and professionally.
Diversity
We are committed to the principles of diversity. We believe that by recruiting, hiring, and promoting people of different cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, and preferences, the quality of our work life is improved and the legal services that we provide to our clients are more creative. Our leadership role in diversity within the legal community requires us to not only support diversity within our firm but to also promote the principles of diversity in the communities in which we live.
Ethical Standards
We adhere to the highest ethical standards in our dealings with each other, our clients, the legal profession, and our community.
Our firm is a member of Meritas, the premier global alliance of independent law firms. Meritas firms offer a full range of legal services to meet every client need. To learn more visit www.meritas.org.
Meritas is comprised of more than 170 law firms in over 60 countries, representing a broad array of legal practice areas, with an emphasis on commercial and business law. Each Meritas firm must go through a rigorous selection and pre-screening process before becoming a member. Meritas also continues to monitor member firms and the referrals between the firms to determine client satisfaction with the services rendered. The criteria for membership include medium size relative to the firm’s market, a full-service commercial/business practice, an established commitment to high-quality client service, and a firm belief in alternative dispute resolution.
Membership in Meritas allows our firm to remain actively involved in the representation of our clients regardless of the jurisdiction in which that representation must be pursued. We work closely with and provide whatever supervision may be necessary to, the Meritas attorneys who are retained to handle the local representation of the client. This arrangement provides the client with national and international legal representation while working with and through SS+D attorneys.