When Jennifer Growcock represents a client, she works to know the case inside and out. She believes it’s not only her job to provide expertise in the law and exceptional client service, but also to strive to serve her clients’ business goals when giving advice.
“Doing so has earned me the title of a trusted adviser in the legal field and, in fact, in areas outside my expertise,” says Growcock, a shareholder with Polsinelli PC.
Growcock believes she had a very unique perspective, one not usually found in a lawyer at a large firm. By practicing in Polsinelli’s Springfield office and now at her home office in Nixa, she’s gained experience in multiple practice areas instead of being forced into one specific area of law.
“This has allowed me to gain exceptional experience and the ability to weigh in for clients on multiple legal issues expanding over many different practice areas,” she says.
Much of Growcock’s practice focuses on commercial and employment litigation, and she’s versed in trying complex matters in state and federal courts. She also has argued appellate matters before the Missouri Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court.
Growcock admits doing her job well doesn’t always make her the most popular person at the table.
“(It) does not always make me the most likeable adviser on the spectrum of business advisers,” she says. “Once I get involved, the clients usually are not in the best position. Solid and trusted advice becomes even more important at that stage of the game.”
Since many of Growcock’s clients are involved in large, “bet-the-company” types of litigation and issues, providing the right legal advice is the difference between whether the company survives and can maintain business at the same level or whether it goes under.
Growcock recently had an undisclosed client for whom this was the case, and her work allowed that client to continue selling its product nationwide under a more favorable agreement than it had before.
“Without the advice given, the client would have been in very expensive litigation and/or been prevented from selling a very valuable product in the United States, one of its major markets in the world,” she says.
In best-case scenarios, Growcock fleshes out issues before they become a problem.
Her best advice to clients is the advice she provides before legal issues arise.
“By giving dependable and correct advice in the beginning, many times lawsuits can be avoided,” she says. “This saves clients thousands, and sometimes millions, of dollars.”
Growcock remains actively involved with Polsinelli’s Women’s Initiative Committee and serves as a representative, mentoring female associates and welcoming female attorneys across the nation to the firm.
Professional involvement includes local, state and national bar associations the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers and Southern Missouri Women Lawyers.
The latest on Growcock’s agenda? In August, she won the Circuit 38 Division 2 judgeship in Christian County, beating competitors Kevin Elmer and Tony Brown.
