Baker Donelson Elects Kristine L. Roberts as Next President and COO

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Donelson has elected Kristine S. Roberts to serve as the Firm's next president and chief operating officer.

Ms. Roberts, a shareholder in Baker Donelson's Memphis office, is chair of the Firm's Financial Services Department and a former member of the board of directors. She will assume the role of president and COO in May 2027, when Jennifer P. Keller, who has served in this role since 2015, will step down but will remain with Baker Donelson.

Baker Donelson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Timothy M. Lupinacci said, "Over her career of more than 20 years at Baker Donelson, Kristine has distinguished herself through her ability to build high-performing teams, lead through change, drive results, and foster strong engagement across the organization. She has a clear vision for the future of the Firm, a strong operational mindset, a keen awareness of the shifting dynamics in the legal marketplace, and most importantly, a deep commitment to helping our attorneys, business professionals, and clients succeed. Given her deep background in leadership and institutional knowledge of the Firm and its operations, Kristine is well positioned to guide Baker Donelson through its continued growth in the rapidly evolving legal marketplace."

Ms. Roberts, who has been with Baker Donelson since 2004, is an experienced litigator who defends banking and financial institutions in class actions and other complex litigation matters in federal and state courts. She has represented clients in a wide variety of trial and appellate matters, including class actions and derivative actions, securities actions, breach of contract actions, fraud claims, fiduciary and trust litigation, bank deposit claims, business disputes, and other complex commercial litigation.

"I am honored by the confidence Tim and our board of directors have placed in me," said Ms. Roberts. "Jennifer's extraordinary leadership over more than a decade has been instrumental to Baker Donelson's success. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work closely with her in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition and sustain the tremendous momentum the Firm is experiencing."

A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Ms. Roberts is listed in The Best Lawyers in America^® in multiple practice categories and was named the Best Lawyers^® 2027 Litigation – Banking and Finance "Lawyer of the Year" in Memphis and the Best Lawyers^® 2026 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defense "Lawyer of the Year" in Memphis. Mid-South Super Lawyers has recognized her among the top 50 women attorneys in the Mid-South, the top 50 Memphis attorneys, and the top 100 Tennessee attorneys.

Ms. Roberts is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and the Memphis Bar Foundation. She has served on the board of directors of Memphis Area Legal Services, including serving as board president. She is a member of the American, Tennessee, and Memphis Bar Associations as well as the Association of Women Attorneys.

While at Baker Donelson, Ms. Roberts has earned numerous firm recognitions, including the Living By Our Values Award for living the Baker Donelson way in thoughts and actions as a leader, the Making the Difference Champion Award for leadership and contributions in support of diversity and inclusion, the Susan E. Rich Award for excellence in promoting the advancement of women in the legal profession, and the Memphis Mentor of the Year Award.

About Baker Donelson
Baker Donelson is a national law firm with more than 700 attorneys and public policy advisors representing more than 30 practice areas to serve a wide range of legal needs. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multidisciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across more than 20 offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

SOURCE Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC