Tom Froehle, Indianapolis, is the firm’s new chair and managing partner, succeeding Andrew Humphrey who reached his term limit after more than five years of service. Mr Froehle served as vice chair and chief operating partner since the firm’s combination in 2012 and previously served as chief executive partner of Baker & Daniels.Minneapolis-based Gina Kastel succeeds Mr Froehle as vice chair and chief operating partner. She previously served as leader of the firm’s health care group, and was elected to the firm’s management board in 2015. Shortly thereafter, she was appointed to FaegreBD’s executive committee.

Litigation group leader

The business litigation group's new leader is Debbie Ellingboe, a commercial trial lawyer who represents business clients in complex commercial disputes, as well as individuals and institutions in white collar criminal matters and internal investigations. She has served on the leadership council of the firm’s Women’s Forum for Achievement since 2015. 

New blood 

Meanwhile the firm has elected some new faces to the management team. Morgan Burns joins the firm’s management board for his first term in the Minneapolis office. He is a corporate partner focusing on capital markets transactions, M&A and corporate governance. Joe Smith, who is based in Indianapolis, was elected to the firm’s management board for his first term. He is a government partner who advises clients on government, labour, employment and supplier diversity matters, as well as legislation drafting and lobbying. They join intellectual property trial lawyer David Gross, Silicon Valley, who was re-elected to the management board for a second term. 

The firm

The 13-member management board is responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the firm. The firm has 750-plus legal and consulting professionals throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and is one of the 75 largest law firms in the United States.