Charles “Chuck” Hedrick is the managing partner of Foley & Lardner in the Greenleaf Building.
HOW LONG ON THE JOB?
“I’ve been in this position since 1995,” said Hedrick. “The former managing partner invited me to apprentice under him to try it out and see how it went. About two months later, I was thrust in this job.”
WHAT DOES THE JOB INVOLVE?
”I am the senior lawyer administrator. I have an office administrator who does the lion’s share of the day-to-day running of the office. We have a human resource person as well. A lot of my job is overseeing others. On the business side, it would involve things like lease negotiations, budgeting and personnel. It’s the things that you would do as the chief operating officer of a business.”
IS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRM’S DIRECTION?
“I don’t take sole responsibility for strategic planning in this office, but I do have a group of lawyers that I meet with periodically to talk about growth, direction and strategic options. The primary focus is marketing. Just like any business, attracting and retaining clients is probably the most critical thing we do. The second thing would be creating an environment where the lawyers and the staff have a place to work that is appealing.”
WHAT’S MOST CHALLENGING?
“Managing lawyers is always challenging. The Jacksonville office has 35 lawyers. That expression [like herding cats] has been uttered a few times. But everyone gets along so well and is so respectful that it’s not much of a challenge.”
DOES HE MISS BEING
A LAWYER?
“ I still practice law full-time. This is just an add-on. I keep in touch with my clients.”
A TRIO OF JOBS
In 1979, Hedrick began his legal career with Mahoney, Hadlow & Adams. In 1982, the Jacksonville office splintered in many directions. “I was one of eight lawyers who went to the Commander, Legler firm. In 1991, the group merged with Foley & Lardner.”
WHERE DID HE GO TO
LAW SCHOOL?
The University of Florida is where Hedrick was introduced to the law, and his wife Sandra. She is also an attorney, but at her own firm — Hedrick, Dewberry, Regan & Durant.
THE PERSONALS
Hedrick and his wife live in San Marco, in her childhood house. They have two sons, Daniel and Tim.
WHY DID HE BECOME
A LAWYER?
“With an undergraduate major in history, there are not a lot of options. It’s either law school or business school. I’ve always had this Perry Mason-type fascination with the law. That’s where so many people got their concepts of what is the practice of law. Obviously, it’s nothing like that.”
WHAT DOES HE ENJOY ABOUT IT?
“When you get to the end of a transaction, which has been a long, drawn-out, high-pressure deal, when you get to where the deal is done and everybody is happy, that’s the best feeling.”
WHAT TYPE OF LAW DOES HE PRACTICE?
“I’m a business lawyer. I’ve done a lot of commercial finance, bank lending work. I have some real estate development clients. I do a little bit of securities law, general contract negotiations and give business advice to clients. It’s a completely non-litigation practice.”
WHY CHOOSE THIS AREA?
“My first job at Mahoney was doing loan documents, representing Barnett Bank. Everything sort of flowed from that. In law school, typically you’ll clerk with a firm, and I was no exception. I got exposure to litigation, real estate, tax and business law. Usually, one of those will strike a chord more than another. I just enjoyed the business practice. I tend to be less confrontational. Ultimately, everyone’s happy when the deal’s complete.”
HAS HE EVER WORKED IN ANOTHER FIELD?
“Only summer, part-time jobs, but sometimes those are the most interesting. I had a job one summer making police lights, those rotating lights. I made children’s toys. I also enjoyed working at a snack bar at a country club because you could eat all you want.”
HOMETOWN
St. Louis
WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO FLORIDA?
“I grew up in Missouri and went to college in New Jersey. I was really looking for a place that was a little warmer. I thought I wanted to be a tax lawyer and the University of Florida had the second best tax program, after NYU, in those days.”
TO WHICH GROUPS DOES HE BELONG?
Hedrick is a member of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Bar Association, president of the Downtown Ecumenical Services and on the board of directors for Dreams Come True and the Super Bowl Host Committee.
HOBBIES
Hedrick enjoys reading mystery novels, going to movies, golfing and traveling, especially to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
DOES HE HAVE ANY
PET PEEVES?
“No. It helps in this job to be easy going.”
— by Monica Tsai