Biglaw

Boies Schiller Flexner Shakes Up Its Executive Committee

Preparing for a firm without David Boies.

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I am certain the timing was coincidental. Yes, David Boies’s representation of Harvey Weinstein and his involvement in the effort to squash a New York Times article about Weinstein’s alleged history of sexual assault and harassment has led to severe backlash against the legal legend, but it is highly unlikely his Biglaw firm changed the way it operates as a direct result of the controversy.

That said, less than three months since the scandal broke, Boies’s eponymous firm, Boies Schiller Flexner (BSF), has changed the composition of their executive committee (EC). As reported by Law.com, at BSF’s partnership meeting in December they increased the number of attorneys on the executive committee to 11 (up from 7). And the new — younger — EC now includes three women partners, Karen Dunn, Natasha Harrison and Karen Dyer.

As the 77 year-old Boies paints it, this is all about smart succession planning (co-managing partner Jonathan Schiller is 71):

The firm is “making sure the next generation is not only ready to take over, but is in the process of taking over,” Boies said in an interview.

And Boies downplayed any conclusions one may draw from the timing of the decision:

Boies stressed that it would be “incorrect” to draw a line between the recent management changes and the Weinstein drama. The negative publicity over his Weinstein work hasn’t affected firm management, he said.

Long time clients support the move as a natural progression:

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“Even though David Boies has the energy of a 4-year-old, he is in the twilight of his career,” said Peter Carter, Delta Air Lines’ chief legal officer and executive vice president, who regularly hires Boies Schiller.

But it’s not as if Boies has already left the building, Carter and other clients said. The legendary litigator, who represented the prevailing plaintiffs for marriage equality at the U.S. Supreme Court and Al Gore in the disputed 2000 presidential election, still ranks as “the spiritual leader” of Boies Schiller, and “his fingerprints are all over that firm,” Carter said.

Of course none of this means Boies is stepping back from his role leading the firm. Also during the December meeting Boies was re-elected as firm chairman — a role he’s held since the founding of the firm.

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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