US national firm Fox Rothschild has promoted partner Richard Coughlin to general counsel, replacing Rachelle Bin in the role.
Coughlin is currently the firm’s deputy GC. In his expanded role, he will oversee the firm’s legal functions across the US, providing risk management, ethics and compliance advice to the firm’s lawyers. He will also be responsible for handling litigation, mitigation and other legal matters, while developing strategies to anticipate and address emerging risks.
Todd Rodriguez, Fox Rothschild’s managing partner, said: “Rick has been an integral part of the firm’s leadership team for years. From leading the firm’s Greensboro office, to serving as our deputy general counsel, he has worked with Rachelle and our executive committee to handle the behind-the-scenes but nonetheless critical risk prevention and mitigation work essential to our firm’s successful operation and growth.”
Coughlin has been with the firm for just over seven and a half years, having previously spent 25 years at Smith Moore Leatherwood before Fox Rothschild acquired it in 2018. He was previously a trial lawyer with a practice specialising in commercial litigation and IP disputes.
Bin, meanwhile, steps down form the GC role after just over three years, though she will remain on as a member of the GC’s office. She has been with the firm for 16 years, joining as assistant GC before being promoted to deputy GC in 2021 and then GC in 2023.
She was previously senior legal counsel at Univision Communications, a deputy trial counsel at the State Bar of California and a litigation associate at Brobeck Phleger and Harrison.
Rodriguez added: “Rachelle’s work ethic, years of institutional knowledge and her unparalleled mediation skills have been invaluable to the firm throughout her tenure as general counsel. We thank her for her years of dedicated leadership.”
Other firms that have recently appointed new GCs include Eversheds Sutherland, which in February hired Andrew Cheung from Pinsent Masons, while in October last year employment law specialist Littler hired Maralee Downey as its first chief legal officer from retirement home operator Brookdale Senior Living.
And last June, IP specialist Fish & Richardson promoted Elham Dehbozorgi to GC, replacing Roger Feldman who was due to retire at the end of last year.
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