Jones Lang LaSalle


Industry Insider: Firm's chairman passes the baton
Friday, February 24, 2006

The head of one of the state's largest law firms is heading to New York City after nearly 20 years at the helm of Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione.

David Sheehan, chairman of the Newark firm of more than 200 lawyers, will become a partner in the New York office of Troutman Sanders, an Atlanta- based firm. The 62-year-old lawyer is expected to join the new firm sometime next week to handle intellectual property litigation.
"It was always my idea that we would have young leadership in this firm and it would never suffer from having senior leaders who hang on too long. I think I accomplished everything I could," Sheehan said yesterday.

The succession traces its roots to April 2004, when Sheehan stepped aside as managing director of the firm after 17 years. All told, Sheehan has worked at Gibbons for 33 years. Two years ago, he was given the title of chairman and spent most of his time on business development and building client relationships.

Firm officials said the goal was to shift the management of the firm -- as several others have done -- to a more corporate model from one where lawyers met in committees to make decisions on everything from conference room decor to compensation.

Patrick Dunican replaced Sheehan as the managing director and was made responsible for the day-to- day administration of the firm, overseeing issues like compensation and growth. He has been with the firm since 1992.

Sheehan said he always planned to stay at the firm for a time to help it hit certain benchmarks, such as expanding the attorney ranks and opening an office in Philadelphia. Since those have been accomplished, he felt it was time to leave.

The opportunity to handle more litigation and less administrative work was what drew him to the new job.

"I wanted to do something that was new and different and challenging," Sheehan said. "I don't think I could ever retire."

Dunican said the departure of his personal and professional mentor was making for some emotional days at the Newark office.

"He is an important figure in the firm's history, and there is no question he was the principal architect of our business plan," said Dunican.

Today, he added, "the firm is stronger than ever."

In the past two years, roughly 40 attorneys have joined the firm. Annual revenue for 2005 was up almost 25 percent, and current projections put the firm's 2006 revenue over $100 million, he said.

There are no immediate plans to name another chairman at the firm, Dunican said.

And finally ...

Hildebrandt International of Somerset released a study that showed law firm merger activity stayed strong last year, with 49 completed mergers. That's up two from the year before. ... A novel practice group that will focus on stem cell technology has been launched at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham, an international firm with offices in Newark. ... A free seminar on paying for nursing home or assisted-living care will be held at the New Jersey Law Center at 1 p.m. Monday. The seminar is open to the public. For more information, call (800) FREE-LAW (800-373-3529).

-- Kate Coscarelli