Diverse Board Guides Shook in New Year and Beyond

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shook, Hardy & Bacon welcomes three new board members to its Executive Committee effective January 1, 2020. The Executive Committee, which helps define the firm's strategy, selected Partner Leonard Searcy as a new board member. Returning board members include Partners Robert Adams and Walt Cofer.

"We are happy that our key leadership reflects the diversity of our firm and our core belief that the best vision for our growth and service to our clients is generated through creative, forward-looking people who bring a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds," said Shook Firm Chair Madeleine McDonough. "More than half of our Executive Board is comprised of diverse and/or female attorneys."

In addition to McDonough, Adams, Cofer and Searcy join Partners Katie Gates Calderon, Annie Chuang, Mike Gross, William Martucci, Hildy Sastre, Ann Songer and Mike Zito to serve on Shook's Executive Committee. An example of the firm's commitment to diversity is reflected in its 2019 partner announcements. Last year, half of the lateral partners announced by Shook identified as women or diverse. In addition, women lead or co-lead the Chicago, Houston, Miami, Orange County and Tampa offices as well as a number of key practice areas including Class Action & Appellate Litigation, Corporate Services, Data & Discovery Strategies and Product Liability Litigation.

Adams co-leads the firm's General Liability Litigation Practice while Cofer co-manages the world-renowned Product Liability Litigation Practice. Searcy is an Intellectual Property partner who divides his time between Kansas City and Atlanta and is assisting Shook in growing its Southeast presence. In 2019, the firm attracted a number of key laterals who serve the automotive industry and handle sophisticated high-stakes environmental work, and opened new offices in Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon

Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 15 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and commercial litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.