Laurie Carr Mims, the new managing partner at Keker, Van Nest & Peters, is seeking to redefine her role by introducing executives to manage the firm's day-to-day operations. The San Francisco-based litigation firm plans to hire a chief operating officer to oversee its 115-attorney operation, complementing the addition of a chief financial officer in 2020. This move will enable Mims to concentrate on her litigation practice, focusing on life sciences for clients such as Roche Holding AG's Genentech and Veeva Systems Inc.
Mims believes delegating more day-to-day operational management to professionals would benefit the firm. Keker is part of a growing trend where law firm leaders hire professional managers to enhance management quality. This strategy aims to improve firm efficiency, increase profits, and free up time for attorneys to focus on legal work.
Bob Baradaran, the managing partner at Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger, suggests that firms should weigh their options carefully and consider a mix of managerial professionals and attorney leadership based on the size, type, and culture of the firm.
Regarding whether to hire professional managers or maintain attorney leadership, Bob Baradaran, managing partner at Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger, suggests that it depends on the firm's size, type, and culture.
Keker, Van Nest & Peters has built a reputation for their work in the technology and intellectual property sectors, with high-profile clients like Google, Netflix, and SanDisk. Laurie Carr Mims has been a part of the firm since 2005 and recently took over as managing partner from Steven K. Taylor.
Mims aims to continue the firm's growth trajectory with a focus on increasing diversity, an area where the firm has created new roles and implemented billable time credit hours for attorney efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She also intends to expand the firm's pro bono practice, providing high-end legal representation to clients who would otherwise be unable to pursue important matters financially or policy-wise.
