As Phillips Murrah celebrates 40 years of service, we’re highlighting the people whose work has helped shape the firm along the way. In this 40 for 40 profile, we spotlight Beverly Vilardofsky and the perspective she brings to her role and to the firm’s culture.
Beverly was drawn to the law by a case that captured her attention as a kid growing up in Rhode Island. The Claus Von Bulow case was local news, and she was convinced he was wrongly prosecuted. After he won his appeal, she decided to go to law school to help other wrongly accused defendants. It was a conviction that set her on a path, and she never looked back.
In her current role, Beverly counts herself lucky to spend most of her time working with several of the state’s pension systems on their investments, playing a small part in helping secure the retirement of firefighters, police officers, and other public servants. She also works with some of the state’s most gifted scientists, helping them raise money to fund research that could lead to medical breakthroughs for some of the world’s most deadly diseases. As she puts it, she is a bit of a bleeding heart.
Over the past 28 years, Beverly has watched Phillips Murrah grow from a small-town law firm to a large-city firm. What she values most is that it retains much of that small-town feel. Everyone’s door is always open, collaboration is a constant, and the firm has added substantially more expertise across a variety of practice areas since she first started. That balance, she believes, has been central to the firm’s success over the past 40 years.
Outside of work, Beverly has always taken to heart the advice of her mentor, Carole Barnes, who told her to make sure you have a passion outside of work. For Beverly, that passion has always been sports. In her first 15 years with the firm, she became well known as a RedHawks baseball fan, earning the equivalent of fan-of-the-year honors twice over a 10-year span. That enthusiasm for something outside of work helps her keep perspective and balance.
Follow our year-long anniversary celebration by visiting our 40th Anniversary page and connecting with us on social media using the links below. We look forward to sharing what’s next.
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