Movers & Shakers

K&L Gates LLP has appointed The American Lawyer's Paul Braverman to the newly created position of Director of Market Intelligence, where he will assist in analyzing and assessing opportunities within the firm's current and future markets and the broader legal industry.

Braverman has spent the past decade gathering and publishing information about the legal industry as a senior reporter and then as deputy editor for The American Lawyer, a sister publication of this newsletter. In his new role as Director of Market Intelligence with K&L Gates, he will assist the firm in analyzing its clients' markets to ensure that the firm is aware of the latest legal challenges and business opportunities facing its clients. In addition, Braverman will conduct an ongoing analysis of the legal industry focused on determining law firm best practices.

K&L Gates LLP separately announced that it has established an office in Doha, Qatar, the firm's second in the Middle East and 38th office worldwide, following the issuance of a license by the Qatar Financial Centre (“QFC”) Authority on August 23. Disputes partner Kenneth Freeling, who joined K&L Gates in March after serving as managing partner of the Doha office of another U.S.-based international firm, assisted in setting up and obtaining approvals for the new office.

The firm's Doha lawyers will assist clients with their legal and regulatory needs in such established areas as projects; energy and infrastructure; banking and finance; telecommunications, media and technology; real estate and construction; intellectual property; and dispute resolution, among others.

DLA Piper announced that Ron Gould has joined the Litigation practice as a partner in the Chicago office. Gould joins the firm from Grant Thornton LLP, where he previously served as Deputy General Counsel and handled major litigation in the Office of the General Counsel.

In this role, Gould oversaw approximately 20 lawyers and support staff worldwide, working with all sectors of the company to manage its complex litigation matters around the globe.

“As a senior inside counsel at one of the world's largest accounting firms, Ron brings a unique and experienced general counsel dimension to our Litigation team,” said Robert Mathias, US chair of DLA Piper's Litigation practice. “His firsthand experience navigating the complex litigation environment facing accounting firms will be an important asset to our clients in this space.”

Houston's Susman Godfrey LLP has amended its partnership agreement to create a leadership succession plan, Steve Susman told sibling publication Texas Lawyer.

Susman and Lee Godfrey, the founding and name partners, are respectively 70 and 71 years old. They historically have been the only lawyers at the firm to hold the title of managing partner.

“Lee and I were designated despots for decades,” Susman said. All that changed Monday, when the firm announced that Neal Manne, a partner who serves on the firm's executive committee, had been elected by his partners to serve as a third managing partner, along with Susman and Godfrey.

“Neither of us has any plans to die or retire, but at our age, stuff happens,” Susman said about himself and his fellow name partner.

Manne is scheduled to serve as the firm's third managing partner until at least 2013, when his term expires and another election is planned. For their part, Susman and Godfrey will continue to serve as managing partners ' without any term limit ' until they leave the firm, Susman said.

“As long as Lee and I are around, we will continue to exercise authority,” he said. Only when both Godfrey and he both depart, Susman added, will the partnership elect another managing partner to replace the two of them.

The bottom line, Susman said, is that the firm will have three managing partners during the rest of Godfrey and Susman's respective careers and will always have at least two managing partners.

K&L Gates LLP has appointed The American Lawyer's Paul Braverman to the newly created position of Director of Market Intelligence, where he will assist in analyzing and assessing opportunities within the firm's current and future markets and the broader legal industry.

Braverman has spent the past decade gathering and publishing information about the legal industry as a senior reporter and then as deputy editor for The American Lawyer, a sister publication of this newsletter. In his new role as Director of Market Intelligence with K&L Gates, he will assist the firm in analyzing its clients' markets to ensure that the firm is aware of the latest legal challenges and business opportunities facing its clients. In addition, Braverman will conduct an ongoing analysis of the legal industry focused on determining law firm best practices.

K&L Gates LLP separately announced that it has established an office in Doha, Qatar, the firm's second in the Middle East and 38th office worldwide, following the issuance of a license by the Qatar Financial Centre (“QFC”) Authority on August 23. Disputes partner Kenneth Freeling, who joined K&L Gates in March after serving as managing partner of the Doha office of another U.S.-based international firm, assisted in setting up and obtaining approvals for the new office.

The firm's Doha lawyers will assist clients with their legal and regulatory needs in such established areas as projects; energy and infrastructure; banking and finance; telecommunications, media and technology; real estate and construction; intellectual property; and dispute resolution, among others.

DLA Piper announced that Ron Gould has joined the Litigation practice as a partner in the Chicago office. Gould joins the firm from Grant Thornton LLP, where he previously served as Deputy General Counsel and handled major litigation in the Office of the General Counsel.

In this role, Gould oversaw approximately 20 lawyers and support staff worldwide, working with all sectors of the company to manage its complex litigation matters around the globe.

“As a senior inside counsel at one of the world's largest accounting firms, Ron brings a unique and experienced general counsel dimension to our Litigation team,” said Robert Mathias, US chair of DLA Piper's Litigation practice. “His firsthand experience navigating the complex litigation environment facing accounting firms will be an important asset to our clients in this space.”

Houston's Susman Godfrey LLP has amended its partnership agreement to create a leadership succession plan, Steve Susman told sibling publication Texas Lawyer.

Susman and Lee Godfrey, the founding and name partners, are respectively 70 and 71 years old. They historically have been the only lawyers at the firm to hold the title of managing partner.

“Lee and I were designated despots for decades,” Susman said. All that changed Monday, when the firm announced that Neal Manne, a partner who serves on the firm's executive committee, had been elected by his partners to serve as a third managing partner, along with Susman and Godfrey.

“Neither of us has any plans to die or retire, but at our age, stuff happens,” Susman said about himself and his fellow name partner.

Manne is scheduled to serve as the firm's third managing partner until at least 2013, when his term expires and another election is planned. For their part, Susman and Godfrey will continue to serve as managing partners ' without any term limit ' until they leave the firm, Susman said.

“As long as Lee and I are around, we will continue to exercise authority,” he said. Only when both Godfrey and he both depart, Susman added, will the partnership elect another managing partner to replace the two of them.

The bottom line, Susman said, is that the firm will have three managing partners during the rest of Godfrey and Susman's respective careers and will always have at least two managing partners.