Pepper-Hamilton, HQ’d in Philadelphia, which I’ve always been irrationally fond of, becomes the latest firm I’m aware
of to appoint a
Chief Strategy Officer—a litigation partner whose bio highlights
his fascination with issues at the intersection of law and economics,
an ardor I fell victim to long long ago. He sounds as if
he might potentially be qualified, at least if raw intellectual horsepower
counts (and yes, it does): a magna cum laude grad of Harvard
Law School and editor of the law review.
At least as interesting as the creation of the "CSO" job was this announcement
that Pepper-Hamilton is moving towards a corporate managerial structure:
"Pepper recently restructured leadership responsibilities to
reflect a more practical approach to firm management. It created a five-member
core management team, the Operating Committee, that is responsible for
day-to-day management of the firm and for initiating strategic planning
and growth opportunities. The Operating Committee will work under the
direction of the Executive Committee, which functions in a capacity similar
to a corporate board of directors."
So what is this all about? A recognition that if the firm wants to
expand in size and geographic footprint (which it unabashedly says it does),
you need at least one senior leader devoted to that strategy. Give
them great credit. The proof will now be, as always, in the pudding.
