With an estimated 1,500 employees around the globe, SHB is capable of providing premier business law and litigation services to a variety of private and public business, ranging in size from startups to Fortune 500 companies. In fact, the firm currently serves, or has served, as national counsel in litigations for six of the top ten pharmaceutical companies. The firm also has a history of representing leading US cigarette manufacturers in product liability litigation. Some of the industries served by SHP include pharmaceutical, medical device, automotive, chemical, electronics, financial services, healthcare, insurance and reinsurance, construction and design, consumer goods, and food industries. The firm's practice groups include intellectual property, bankruptcy, commercial transactions, tax law, banking law, products liability, corporate and securities law, health law, insurance law, real estate, antitrust, and environmental law.
SHB boasts a team of more than 140 analysts who work alongside the firm's attorneys to provide a number of functions, ranging from researching and interpreting complex scientific issues to identifying and prepping witnesses. Being on top of technological advances, security, and recovery efforts is also a priority for the SHB and the firm demonstrates this through its three-pronged business continuity program, which integrates information security and disaster recovery activities.
The firm's services are also supported by its main law library, which happens to be one of the largest private legal resource centers in the US. The main law library, which is located in Kansas City, is operated with the assistance of 12 librarians, two medical-information professionals, and nine support staff members. The collection at the Kansas City library is primarily geared toward litigation, with a focus on products liability, antitrust, employment law, corporation law, tax, intellectual property, construction law, environmental law, and international law. The firm has other city office libraries in London, Houston, San Francisco, Orange County, Miami, Tampa, and Washington, DC.
SHB offers a summer program for students who are interested in receiving hands-on training in a law firm setting. Summer associates are exposed to a variety of assignments in a number of practice areas throughout the program. A writing workshop, negotiation program, an in-house trial practice program, lectures, and presentations are just some of the learning opportunities offered. Social networking is also encouraged through firm-sponsored sporting events, dinner parties, and more. SHB seeks summer associates with superior academic credentials and strong communication skills, both written and spoken. Applicants with journal or moot court experience are preferred. Work experience and extracurricular activities also play a role in the selection process.