There’s a certain kind of law firm story everybody expects. Big wins. Bigger clients. A lot of chest-thumping about excellence. Best & Flanagan could probably tell that story if it wanted to.
But when Board Chair Dan Grimsrud talks about why the firm has lasted 100 years, he doesn’t start with the curriculum vitae. Though there’s a long list of milestones and big wins on the firm’s résumé, he’s more likely to tell you about the big wins on the 11-year-old baseball team he coaches. You can tell instantly, he’s driven by people.
“It’s people for sure. I mean, it’s always people.” —Dan Grimsrud
That answer is a little surprising coming from a guy who once thought he’d leave law after a few years for investment banking or private equity. Now more than 20 years in, it’s clear this message is more than an executive talking point. It’s ingrained in the fabric of the firm.
Dan recalled one example over the years was during a remodel of the offices. There was a debate about the most attractive corner in the office, whether it should be used as partner offices or the lunchroom. He’s still proud of the fact that the firm chose to make it the lunchroom so everyone could enjoy it.
That’s part of what has kept him, and 90 teammates around so long. And he believes that’s what has helped the firm stand the test of time.
Not because of prestige. Not because of the career ladder. Because of the people. People who showed him what adulthood in an intense profession could look like. People who showed up for each other. People who made work feel human. If you listen closely, you realize that’s the 100-year story of Best & Flanagan. Not survival through dominance. Survival through relationships.
The Real Legacy
Dan hopes the next century is defined by the legacy Best & Flanagan represents to this point. The next chapter isn’t marked by buzz words or market position. It’s simply: “Human connection.”
He talks about wanting the firm to remain a place where people can walk into someone’s office when life gets hard. Where colleagues actually know each other. Where clients feel supported beyond the transaction. Where ambition and humanity aren’t treated like opposing forces.
And honestly, that may be the most radical thing about Best & Flanagan after 100 years.
Not that it survived. But how it survived. Not by becoming less human as it grew. But by protecting the human parts on purpose.
That’s a legacy he’s proud of and hopes will continue. Because after 100 years, Best & Flanagan seems to understand something a lot of companies forget: People don’t dedicate their lives to business. They dedicate their lives to people who do meaningful work.
Best & Flanagan is celebrating 100 years of serving clients, businesses, and communities with a people-first approach to law. Learn more at: bestlaw.com/100-years.
