In a nod to its welcoming workplace culture, Meltzer, Purtill & Stelle LLC earned a top spot on the “Best Places to Work in Chicago for 2025,” judged by Crain’s Chicago Business.
MPS ranked third among law firms and first among small- and mid-sized law firms—a ranking that reflects its outstanding employees.
What makes MPS Law a great place to work are the people who work here,” said Richard Heller, chief operating officer of MPS. Across the spectrum, MPS is a team and everyone contributes to the success of the firm and its mission to serve its clients.
“I’ve been in the business for 42 years, and this is the first place where I feel like the attorneys are grateful for what we do,” said Christine Rampich, a legal assistant who has been at MPS for 11 years. “I’ve worked at big law firms where support staff are not treated the same. But here, we are like family. When you walk in, you feel like you’re walking into a place where you know everybody. We laugh together; we spend time together. It’s nice to feel so appreciated.”
Annual voluntary turnover at the firm is only 3 percent. The company offers competitive pay and benefits packages, flexible work schedules, profit-sharing, and 12 paid holidays. Professional growth is also encouraged. “Everyone is willing to help you grow professionally,” said Aleksandra Rajska, a paralegal at MPS. “We have the opportunity to take courses or learn from senior attorneys and staff and to develop the kind of skills that help you grow within your profession.”
Partner John Lipic moved from an AmLaw100 firm to MPS 5 years ago to find the right mid-sized firm to continue serving his longtime clients. “MPS has a great platform to support many different areas of business law, which allows me to serve my clients efficiently and effectively,” he said. “The attorneys here are highly skilled and good people, and it was an easy fit. The firm also gives me tremendous autonomy in my practice. That has allowed me to invest in my clients and keep my long-term client relationships thriving.”
MPS attorneys and staff serve local and national clients from offices in Chicago and Schaumburg, where the firm just moved into new, expanded office space to accommodate its growing team. Employees say the short commutes, whether they live in the city or suburbs, help give them a healthy work-life balance.
When attorney Michael K. Jameson moved to Chicago three years ago, MPS was recommended as a company that combined a small-firm feel—with a collegial atmosphere among teams—with large-firm resources. As an MPS associate attorney for the past three years, he’s gotten experience in the courtroom while learning from senior attorneys, skills he might not have acquired as quickly as an associate at a larger firm.
“Partners want everyone here to succeed,” Jameson said. “There’s not the hierarchy found in larger firms. They want you to grow your skills and your practice because it benefits everyone.”
Crain’s Chicago Business created the list of best places to work in 2008 by partnering with Workforce Research Group, which conducts in-depth surveys of employers and their employees. The top 100 list includes a mix of industries and company sizes, and each employer on the list shares “a commitment to fostering strong workplace cultures that attract and retain talent.”
“We are grateful for the recognition from Crain’s Chicago Business, because our firm is truly a great place to work for everyone,” said William Mitchell, managing partner at MPS.
In a field where success is typically measured in terms of growth, Meltzer, Purtill & Stelle is that rare law firm where success is defined solely by the needs and satisfaction of the clients it serves. Founded in 1996, the firm maintains offices in Chicago and Schaumburg, with 46 attorneys working in 14 select practice areas focused on real estate, secured lending, litigation, and corporate law.