Crowell & Moring has appointed Joe Palermo as their new Chief Operating Officer (COO), bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in financial operations to the firm.
Palermo, who will work out of Crowell’s New York office, has held senior positions at two other Big Law firms: Lowenstein Sandler and K&L Gates. At K&L Gates, he oversaw the firm’s global operations for 11 years until 2017.
In a statement, Chahira Solh, chair of the executive committee at Crowell & Moring, said they recognized “the value of bringing on board a chief operating officer with demonstrated experience not only managing but strengthening a firm’s business operations so that lawyers can focus on serving their clients.”
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As COO, Palermo will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s business functions, including human resources, practice management, marketing, and information technology, as well as consulting services, Crowell & Moring International and Crowell Health Solutions. He will manage a team of around 450 business-side staffers and will be tasked with ensuring “the right processes” and “right tools” are in place at the firm.
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He also stated that one key hire for the firm this year will be a new chief financial officer (CFO).
In 2021, Crowell & Moring has seen considerable expansion. They acquired Chicago-based intellectual property firm Brinks Gilson & Lione to establish a foothold in the Midwest and combine with New York-based boutique Kibbe & Orbe. The firm has also added more than 175 lawyers while expanding to cities such as Chicago, Denver, Shanghai, and Doha.
Palermo said of his new role at Crowell & Moring: “There are great opportunities on the business side and the strategic side.” He added that he wants to help lawyers and staff adjust to a hybrid work environment so they can look forward to coming into the office.
Crowell & Moring is continuing to grow with their latest appointment, highlighting their commitment to bringing in new talent which can bring fresh perspectives to the firm. Joe Palermo’s extensive experience will no doubt be instrumental in helping Crowell & Moring continue to grow and succeed.
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