He’s Law Firm’s ‘Necessary Asset’
A.J. Nadershahi’s first day on the job as network administrator for international law firm Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe set the tone for his future. One of the firm’s partners had been stymied trying to configure a set of data. Nadershahi offered a suggestion, and it worked.
“Right away I was a hero,” recalled Nadershahi, 34.
But Nadershahi needed more than just computer skills to advance to information systems manager two years later.
“It’s not enough to be technically smart,” said technology director Robert Meadows, who supervises 40 technicians in 11 offices from the firm’s San Francisco home base. “You have to be able to make technology work for our users and customers, and he really knows how to do that.”
Like the corporate world, large law firms have become dependent on technology to maintain their pace.
From his 40th-floor downtown Los Angeles office with a view to the Pacific Ocean, Nadershahi oversees the branch’s four-member technology team, coordinating with other offices in such far-flung locations as Anchorage, Hong Kong, Singapore and Washington. He recently played a key role in opening the newest office in San Diego.
With the network operating system being continually upgraded, all offices must remain in sync, and telecommunications components such as phones, pagers and fax machines, must run smoothly. Nadershahi achieves this with the help of the firm’s technology committee, which includes attorneys from its offices worldwide. The group meets regularly via teleconferencing and, if necessary, in person, to exchange ideas and strategize over cases and client needs.
On a local level, Nadershahi oversees the office’s intranet, which provides instant access to everything from an employee directory to electronic images of case documents.
Nadershahi’s foray into technology began after he left the University of St. Louis in 1985 and started an automotive electronics business. His eyes were opened to new possibilities by the computer he bought to keep track of customer billings. As the auto electronics business waned, he realized the technology field was growing. He also longed to move to California, where he had spent summers visiting relatives.
Nadershahi moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and began working as a computer consultant. To move into a corporate environment, he offered his services free to Castle Rock Entertainment. A few weeks later, the company hired him to do systems support.
He didn’t consider leaving the film industry until a job recruiter called in 1993 with an opportunity to join the prestigious law firm. Though salaries at Heller Ehrman are confidential, a survey in trade magazine Information Week puts the annual range for information systems managers between $60,000 and $85,000, depending on organization size and responsibilities.
“Some law firms consider technology a necessary evil,” said Nadershahi. “Heller Ehrman doesn’t look at it that way. They consider it a necessary asset.”
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AT A GLANCE
* Name: A.J. Nadershahi
* Age: 34
* Position: Information systems manager
* Employer: Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe
* Education: University of St. Louis
* Background: Systems support, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1991-93; owner, automotive electronics business, St. Louis, 1985-91
* Home: Santa Monica
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Susan McRae is a Los Angeles freelance writer. She can be reached at sumac1@earthlink.com.
