Husch Blackwell, one of the top 100 law firms in the US, has announced that Jamie Lawless will be its next chief executive officer. Lawless is the first non-lawyer to take up this role and will be working remotely from her home in Tampa, Florida. This development marks a significant milestone for Husch Blackwell as well as for the legal industry as a whole and serves to demonstrate the firm’s commitment to progressiveness, innovation, and inclusion.
Lawless brings with her 10 years of experience in leadership roles at firms such as Baker McKenzie and Swiss Post Solutions. She is considered by Husch Blackwell to be an ideal choice for this role due to her “business acumen, great listening and communications skills.”
Husch Blackwell stands out among its peers for its commitment to the ‘work-from-anywhere’ model, which is proving to be a great asset in terms of recruiting top talent. Other law firms, however, have been pressuring their lawyers to work from offices at least part of every week and are even threatening bonus penalties for those who don’t.
Lawless’ appointment is part of the transition process, and she will be taking over from Paul Eberle in February. Eberle was another non-lawyer appointed to this role in 2018 – a first for any AmLaw 100 law firm at that time.
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Gross revenue for Husch Blackwell saw an impressive 17% increase in 2022 – up to $555 million from the year before. With Lawless now at the helm, it is likely that this growth and progress will continue for many years to come.
The firm also operates The Link, a virtual office that currently includes 202 lawyers spread across 29 states plus Washington, DC. This is likely to become an even more important asset as Husch Blackwell continues to move forward with its innovative and progressive values.
Overall, the appointment of Jamie Lawless and Husch Blackwell‘s commitment to ‘work from anywhere’ are indicative of how the legal industry is changing in response to the digital age. This type of progressiveness can only benefit both employees and clients alike, as it ensures that the firm can recruit the best talent while also providing its clients with the highest quality of service. This move marks a new era for Husch Blackwell and could well be the catalyst for similar changes in other large law firms.
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