Lauren Baker has worked in law since 2012. She nominated Straub Seaman & Allen for this honor, and she says she has yet to find a law firm that compares.
Straub Seaman & Allen is a downtown St. Joseph law firm with more than 40 years of operation, a second office in Grand Rapids, and a reputation built on expertise, efficiency, and a culture that most people don’t associate with a busy litigation practice. Led by partners James T. McGovern and Tom F. Waggoner, the firm handles complex legal work at a high level — and makes a point of treating the people who do that work like they have lives worth protecting outside the office.
For Baker, that shows up in the most practical ways. When her youngest son’s T-ball practice started at 4:00 on weekdays, the firm adjusted her schedule. No questions, no pressure, no guilt. When her grandmother passed away, she was told to go home, be with family, and take the week. A floral arrangement arrived at the funeral home from the firm. When the work is done well, gratitude is expressed — and it’s genuine.
The firm sponsors local youth sports, donates to school fundraisers year after year, and was a top sponsor for Bridgman Youth Soccer. Partners have routinely contributed to Baker’s own children’s school and sports fundraisers. The involvement in the community isn’t performative — it’s the same impulse that keeps the office door open and the atmosphere light.
That last part surprises people, Baker says. A fast-paced law firm with a friendly, laid-back environment isn’t what most people picture. But the team gets the work done with expertise and accuracy, and still finds room for laughter, birthday celebrations, office luncheons, and social events that bring everyone together as a work family.
Ten-plus employees, 40-plus years, and a place Baker genuinely looks forward to walking into Monday through Friday. The attorneys, she adds, are pretty great too.
