US baseball team the New York Mets has named Kenneth David as its new general counsel, replacing James Denniston in the role.
David joins from US litigation specialist Kasowitz, where he was a partner. At the Mets, he will oversee all aspects of the legal function supporting both business and baseball operations. He is due to join on 1 December and will become a member of the executive leadership team.
The New York Mets is owned by billionaire hedge fund boss Steve Cohen.
Lew Sherr, president of business operations at the New York Mets, said: “As we continue our forward momentum and growth, Ken’s distinguished legal background and extensive experience across multiple sectors will bring tremendous value to our organisation. His expertise strengthens our ability to operate with excellence, manage complexity and support the evolving needs of a modern, world-class baseball franchise.”
David spent more than 17 years at Kasowitz, having previously spent four years as an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and almost three years as an associate at Fried Frank. Those spells were punctuated by almost two years clerking in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
He said: “As a lifelong Mets fan who grew up a few blocks from Citi Field, and whose first job as a teenager was at Shea Stadium, I am honoured and thrilled to join the organisation, and can’t wait to collaborate with this exceptional team. I look forward to bringing my wide-ranging legal experience to the Mets and contributing to the organisation’s continued success while serving our incredible fans.”
Denniston, meanwhile, had been the team’s co-general counsel since 2021, having originally joined as legal counsel back in 2008. His LinkedIn page currently lists his role at the Mets as vice president. Chief legal officer Katie Pothier, who joined the organisation in 2022, departed in January.
Previous GC David Cohen was let go in 2021 following an investigation into workplace culture, according to CBS Sports.
In other in-house baseball moves, back in January, the Baltimore Orioles hired Kamaal Jones as CLO and GC from Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns sports franchises including the Washington Capitals ice hockey team and the Washington Wizards basketball team.
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