K&L Gates chairman Peter Kalis has confirmed that he will be stepping down after almost 20 years at the helm. Mr Kalis has served five consecutive terms as chairman, but informed the firm’s management committee in July that he would not be running for his sixth. ‘It has been an honour to serve the only law firm I have ever called home, and I look forward not only to concluding a strong 2016 but also to seeing my successors take the firm to greater heights in the years to come,’ he said in a statement. The 66-year-old is planning to step down next February.
Legal 'giant'
First assuming the chairman role in 1997, Mr Kalis has overseen a massive expansion of K&L Gates’ business from just under 400 lawyers across six offices to more than 2,000 lawyers in 46 offices. Though K&L Gates has been plagued by flat financials over the last five years, the firm’s turnover has grown from just $140m to more than $1bn annually under Mr Kalis’ 20 years of leadership. ‘He has been a giant both in the firm’s history and in the modern legal industry,’ said a statement from the firm’s management committee, adding that it was prepared for a ‘smooth transition’ to new leadership.
Source: Wall Street Journal; Legal Business
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
