As Lando & Anastasi, LLP (L&A) celebrates its 23rd anniversary on June 2nd, members of the firm’s leadership team reflected on the values and the people that have shaped their success over the past two decades. While much has changed in the IP law landscape since the firm’s founding in 2003, several themes remain constant: flexibility, collaboration, exceptional client service, work-life balance, shared responsibility, compassion, and commitment to developing future leaders. From fostering an entrepreneurial environment and delivering strategic value to clients, to supporting one another through challenges and investing in the next generation of professionals, L&A’s leaders shared what continues to define the firm today and what excites them most about its future.
Bottom Line: It’s the people.
John N. Anastasi, Co-Founding Partner
How An Entrepreneurial Mindset Shaped L&A’s Culture
From the beginning, one of the defining aspects of Lando & Anastasi’s culture has been flexibility. When the firm was formed, the goal was not to create a rigid, hierarchical environment driven solely by billable hours or short-term profits, but rather a place where attorneys had the flexibility to work creatively and collaboratively with clients and with each other. That flexibility continues to define the firm today.
It shows up in many ways—in how we structure fee arrangements, adapt to client needs, and provide attorneys with the freedom to spend time on activities that may not immediately generate billable hours. These are the activities that ultimately strengthen relationships, deepen expertise, and help the firm grow over the long term. There has always been a strong emphasis on collegiality, trust, and giving attorneys the autonomy to build their practices in ways that fit their strengths and their clients’ needs.
I believe this culture has been especially important in a boutique law firm environment, where clients often need strategic, highly customized guidance rather than one-size-fits-all legal services. It has allowed us to remain entrepreneurial, adaptable, and client focused as we have grown into the firm we are today.
What excites me most about the future of L&A is our firm’s potential to evolve while continuing to build on the strengths that have made us successful. The legal profession is in a period of transition, with AI and other technologies beginning to reshape how legal services are delivered. That creates uncertainty, but it also creates opportunity.
Even in this changing landscape, our firm’s reputation remains extremely strong. We continue to be well recognized in the market, expand client relationships, and see new opportunities emerge. Recently, I received a lead from a prospective client because my name appeared prominently in an AI-generated search result for IP attorneys in Boston. That reinforced for me that firms with strong reputations, deep expertise, and an active thought leadership program will continue to compete effectively.
I also believe that a client-focused IP boutique like L&A remains in demand. Clients need experienced attorneys who can exercise sound judgment, develop tailored strategies, and navigate nuanced issues surrounding intellectual property, AI-generated innovation, and emerging technologies. The increasing complexity of these challenges creates even greater demand for thoughtful, sophisticated counsel.
Peter C. Lando, Co-Founding Partner
How L&A’s Unique Culture Delivers for Clients
An enduring feature of L&A’s culture is the combination of individual accountability and institutional collaboration. What distinguishes the firm, in my view, is not just that both elements exist, it is that neither is compromised in practice.
There is a clear expectation that lawyers own their client relationships in a meaningful way. That means understanding not only the legal issues, but the client’s business, priorities, and tolerance for risk, and being prepared to take responsibility for the advice given. In my experience, that level of ownership materially improves the quality of decision-making, particularly in high-stakes or time-sensitive situations.
At the same time, L&A has avoided the common tradeoff between accountability and collaboration. There is a real instinct to bring in the right people early, challenge assumptions, and refine the approach collectively. The best outcomes rarely come from isolated viewpoints, and the firm’s culture reflects that reality. Importantly, this is not performative collaboration, it is practical, efficient, and focused on delivering better answers.
I saw this play out on a recent matter where a client was facing a compressed timeline and a series of interrelated issues that cut across multiple disciplines. Rather than approaching those issues sequentially, we brought together a small, focused team early on and worked through the key decisions in real time with the client. That approach allowed us to simplify what initially appeared complicated and give the client a clear path forward under significant time pressure. It was a straightforward example, but it reflects how the firm operates at its best.
The result is a client service model that is both disciplined and highly coordinated. Clients are not managing a group of individual contributors; they are working with a team that is aligned, responsive, and accountable for outcomes. We are deliberate about how matters are staffed and executed, with an emphasis on efficiency and sound judgment. Equally important, we prioritize being proactive; clients should not have to ask the next question for us to be thinking about it.
What is notable is that this approach has held as the firm has grown. Many organizations lose cohesion as they scale; L&A has not. The firm continues to operate with a shared sense of responsibility and a strong institutional identity. In my view, that is a differentiator in the current market.
As we move into the future, what most interests me about L&A’s path forward is not simply growth, but the opportunity to continue refining how we deliver value in a more demanding environment.
Client expectations have reset. Technical excellence is assumed; it is no longer enough. Clients expect advice that is clear, actionable, and grounded in how their business operates. They also expect efficiency and responsiveness, particularly when dealing with sophisticated, variable situations. In my practice, I see that shift consistently. That is the challenge, and the opportunity.
L&A is well positioned but maintaining that position requires discipline. Our strength lies in combining deep experience with sound judgment and delivering it through an integrated, business-focused approach.
The firm has been thoughtful about investing in areas that matter: talent, key practice capabilities, and how we execute. Those investments are important, but what ultimately differentiates the firm is how effectively we translate them into an excellent client experience. From what I have seen, that comes down to execution, how we staff matters, how we communicate, and how well we anticipate issues before they arise.
From my perspective, the next phase is about sharpening that edge. It is not about changing the fundamental model, but about continuing to raise the standard for how we apply it. Having worked closely with clients across a range of environments, I view that not as a strategic abstraction, but as a daily discipline.
Maintaining that focus, while preserving the culture that makes it possible, is what will determine how effectively L&A continues to differentiate itself.
Karen S. Borofsky, Director of Administration
A Firm That Puts People First
L&A is different in that we are not only a business, but we are also a caring community. Many firms say that, but the Partners at L&A have actually demonstrated that commitment time and time again. During COVID, during downturns in the economy, and through other challenges, when most firms chose to cut salaries or institute layoffs, L&A persevered without taking such Draconian measures.
The firm has always treated our staff with great respect and compassion. I have observed the Partners to continuously sacrifice for the greater good of the firm, and this is something you just don’t see much of in the law firm community. It’s a great differentiator for L&A, and one that I am particularly proud of.
For me, excitement about the future of L&A lies with the cohort of young professionals (five of them!) who were brought on board within the past year. They are so bright, and they bring with them a sense of wonder and great enthusiasm for the practice of law and the field of IP in particular.
They are a breath of fresh air, and they mirror what all of us who founded the firm 23 years ago experienced as we came to work each day with great aspirations. Back then – just as it does today – each new client and new victory brought renewed energy to the team, and our latest hires are a great reminder of what it’s like for each day to be a new and exciting experience.
I just love that!
Keith F. Noe, Partner
The Innovative Model L&A Was Built On
L&A was founded on the belief that a law firm does not have to adhere to the hyper-competitive mentality prevalent at many large firms. Our model emphasized lower billing requirements, reasonable rates, and a commitment to work-life balance.
What is remarkable is that, over 23 years, we have remained true to that model, creating a work environment that focuses on the health and well-being of its most important asset: its people.
Having been with the firm for 22 of its 23 years, what excites me most about the future of L&A is its talent.
As hiring partner, I often tell recruits that our team—including attorneys, technology specialists, assistants, and support professionals—is the strongest it has ever been. Our younger professionals have invigorated the firm and brought out the best in all of us.
We also have an outstanding group of younger partners who are more than capable of leading the firm forward and ensuring a bright future for years to come.
Robert A. Skrivanek, Jr., Partner
A Truly Collaborative Culture
One thing that defines the culture at L&A is that people step up and do what needs to be done, whether or not it falls within their formal job responsibilities. That mindset extends across the entire firm—from partners, associates, and technical specialists to administrative and support staff.
Whether it’s making the first pot of coffee in the morning, fixing a copier jam, addressing a small issue before it becomes a bigger problem, or, in the firm’s early days, picking up supplies such as coffee, water, and paper towels, there has always been a willingness to pitch in.
Unlike larger firms, everyone wears more than one hat, and that shared sense of responsibility has helped foster a collaborative, team-oriented culture that continues to define L&A today.
What excites me most about the future of L&A is the next generation of firm leadership. Our newer and younger partners—and those who will someday become partners—bring a wonderful combination of tremendous talent energy, and diverse strengths to the table. Some excel at business development, while others are known for their deep technical knowledge or mastery of complex legal issues.
The key for successfully moving forward lies in how the future generation works together. If they continue to leverage one another’s strengths, support each other’s growth, and approach challenges as a team, they have the potential to take the firm to an entirely new level.
That combination of talent, collaboration, and shared commitment gives me great confidence in L&A’s future.
Thomas M. Sullivan, Partner
A Foundation of Respect
One of the primary goals in starting L&A was to foster work-life balance and achieving that goal helped establish a more congenial culture that many of the firms from which the founding group migrated simply lacked.
In addition, the founding partners and our first set of associates knew each other well before starting the firm; we respected one another and we made a conscious decision to practice together. This resulted in a culture where mutual respect and consideration became the norm, and we continue to work hard to maintain that culture today.
The thing that excites me most about the future of L&A is our people.
There is incredible talent, drive, and passion among our newer partners, and this group is well-positioned to lead the firm into the future while benefiting from the mentorship of our more experienced partners.
We have also hired exceptional junior practitioners in recent years – all of whom possess outstanding technical skills and are rapidly developing into strong legal professionals.
