Jones Lang LaSalle
Buchholz Named as Blank Rome's New Managing Partner, CEO
Gina Passarella
The Legal Intelligencer
05-23-2006
Blank Rome has chosen firm executive partner Carl M. Buchholz as the next firm managing partner and chief executive officer, effective July 1.
The move makes Buchholz, 41, one of the youngest managing partners in Philadelphia.
Buchholz succeeds Fred Blume who announced at the beginning of this month that he would step down from the position by the end of June, leaving his post earlier than the 2008 term end.
Buchholz rejoined Blank Rome as executive partner in 2002 after serving as special assistant to the president and executive secretary at the White House Office of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. While at the White House, Buchholz worked with then-Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and President George W. Bush to develop the administration's policies on anti-terrorism efforts.
Since rejoining the firm, Buchholz has been involved with guiding its strategic plan, firm diversity initiatives, pro bono efforts and marketing.
"Carl has clearly demonstrated his ability to lead and manage in his role as executive partner of the firm, a position that was created and designed to groom the future leadership of the firm," Blume said in a statement.
When he announced that he would be stepping down, Blume said firm leadership is moving in a younger direction and pointed to Buchholz as a possible successor for Blank Rome.
"I think there was a certain expectation that he would be the first among equals to be considered," said firm Chairman David Girard-diCarlo.
That doesn't mean his was the only name on the table, Girard-diCarlo said.
The firm "did a lot of soul-searching" and contemplated whether the next managing partner had to come from within the firm or even be a lawyer at all, he said.
Buchholz was interviewed and asked to give his vision for the future of the firm before he was ultimately selected to fill the vacancy left by Blume, Girard-diCarlo said.
"The executive partner position was a platform to potentially develop new leadership," Buchholz said, adding that there was no commitment or expectation to become managing partner at the time he took on the role.
Buchholz said that as an officer of the firm, he would normally have been involved with the nomination process, but recused himself.
Girard-diCarlo said this is a major generational change for the firm and the last time something like that happened was when Girard-diCarlo took the role of chairman in 1986.
Buchholz said the firm has a number of initiatives for growth in terms of both geography and practice areas.
"We're at the tipping point of emerging on the international stage," he said. "We have plans to emerge as a national and international firm."
Buchholz said the firm would continue its expansion in Washington, D.C., and New York. He said the firm plans to expand or enter other areas, but would not comment on where they might be.
Girard-diCarlo said the firm has yet to accomplish everything it wanted to.
"[The firm's] practice is national and international, but we aren't necessarily viewed that way," he said, adding that the perception of the firm is something he and Buchholz will work on changing.
Along with his managerial roles, Buchholz will continue to concentrate his practice in the area of complex commercial litigation, including environmental, insurance, class action and patent litigation. He also serves as senior principal in Blank Rome Government Relations, representing a broad range of technology, communications and health care clients before Congress, the administration and independent agencies in legislative and regulatory matters.
"He's going to try," Girard-diCarlo said of Buchholz's desire to maintain his practice. "I'm not sure he will be able to fulfill his aspiration."
Girard-diCarlo was speaking from his personal experience of trying to maintain a practice when he started as chairman, but said that the firm created a new management structure in 2001 that includes additional players to assist the managing partner. Those positions include an executive committee and a financial partner, he said.
"His first client is Blank Rome," Girard-diCarlo said.
Buchholz agreed that the firm would take top priority, but said it was important for a manager to practice law as well.
He said that in his three years as executive partner, he spent about half of his time working with clients and expects that he will spend a little less than that in his new role.
Buchholz was the first person to hold the role of executive partner, and Girard-diCarlo said it is up to him as to how to fill that position. For now, the firm does not plan on putting someone in the role right away, he said.
According to Girard-diCarlo, the position was created to accomplish a seamless transition in this type of scenario.
The position of managing partner is set up in three-year terms with no limit on how many terms a person can hold, Blume said earlier this month.
Blume's term was set to end in 2008. He will now take on the honorary title of chairman emeritus and will remain on the compensation and executive committees.
Blume has been with the firm since 1967 and took on the management functions in 2003 when Girard-diCarlo relinquished the posts to focus more on firm strategy. Prior to that, Blume had served as the firm's chief operating officer.
From 2000 to 2002, he served with Girard-diCarlo as co-chairman of the firm and administrative partner.
Girard-diCarlo will remain chairman of the firm.
At 41, Buchholz is one of the youngest managing partners in the area.
Sandra Mannix of Abelson Legal Search said that it is good to see that firms are open to filling these roles regardless of the attorney's age.
"They're smart. They're good. They've got a lot of energy," she said of the trend of younger partners in leadership positions.
Mannix said that as much as people view Philadelphia firms as "white shoe firms," the reality has changed a bit.
"They're very open and very flexible," she said. "That's certainly what we see more of."
Michael Coleman of Coleman Legal Search said the role of executive partner has given Buchholz some preparation for his new position.
Buchholz said he would take advantage of Blume's experience as managing partner and CEO in the coming months before he makes the official transition.
"I think it's important for the next generation to emerge, and at Blank Rome we're doing it in a way where the current generation is still here," Buchholz said.
After leaving the firm for public service, Buchholz worked for the administration from 2001 to 2002. During that time, he also served as transition team chairman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Buchholz was co-chairman of the transition team for Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett. He served as Pennsylvania general counsel for the Bush-Cheney 2004 presidential campaign. He is currently a member of the executive committee of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Buchholz Named as Blank Rome's New Managing Partner, CEO
Gina Passarella
The Legal Intelligencer
05-23-2006
Blank Rome has chosen firm executive partner Carl M. Buchholz as the next firm managing partner and chief executive officer, effective July 1.
The move makes Buchholz, 41, one of the youngest managing partners in Philadelphia.
Buchholz succeeds Fred Blume who announced at the beginning of this month that he would step down from the position by the end of June, leaving his post earlier than the 2008 term end.
Buchholz rejoined Blank Rome as executive partner in 2002 after serving as special assistant to the president and executive secretary at the White House Office of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. While at the White House, Buchholz worked with then-Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and President George W. Bush to develop the administration's policies on anti-terrorism efforts.
Since rejoining the firm, Buchholz has been involved with guiding its strategic plan, firm diversity initiatives, pro bono efforts and marketing.
"Carl has clearly demonstrated his ability to lead and manage in his role as executive partner of the firm, a position that was created and designed to groom the future leadership of the firm," Blume said in a statement.
When he announced that he would be stepping down, Blume said firm leadership is moving in a younger direction and pointed to Buchholz as a possible successor for Blank Rome.
"I think there was a certain expectation that he would be the first among equals to be considered," said firm Chairman David Girard-diCarlo.
That doesn't mean his was the only name on the table, Girard-diCarlo said.
The firm "did a lot of soul-searching" and contemplated whether the next managing partner had to come from within the firm or even be a lawyer at all, he said.
Buchholz was interviewed and asked to give his vision for the future of the firm before he was ultimately selected to fill the vacancy left by Blume, Girard-diCarlo said.
"The executive partner position was a platform to potentially develop new leadership," Buchholz said, adding that there was no commitment or expectation to become managing partner at the time he took on the role.
Buchholz said that as an officer of the firm, he would normally have been involved with the nomination process, but recused himself.
Girard-diCarlo said this is a major generational change for the firm and the last time something like that happened was when Girard-diCarlo took the role of chairman in 1986.
Buchholz said the firm has a number of initiatives for growth in terms of both geography and practice areas.
"We're at the tipping point of emerging on the international stage," he said. "We have plans to emerge as a national and international firm."
Buchholz said the firm would continue its expansion in Washington, D.C., and New York. He said the firm plans to expand or enter other areas, but would not comment on where they might be.
Girard-diCarlo said the firm has yet to accomplish everything it wanted to.
"[The firm's] practice is national and international, but we aren't necessarily viewed that way," he said, adding that the perception of the firm is something he and Buchholz will work on changing.
Along with his managerial roles, Buchholz will continue to concentrate his practice in the area of complex commercial litigation, including environmental, insurance, class action and patent litigation. He also serves as senior principal in Blank Rome Government Relations, representing a broad range of technology, communications and health care clients before Congress, the administration and independent agencies in legislative and regulatory matters.
"He's going to try," Girard-diCarlo said of Buchholz's desire to maintain his practice. "I'm not sure he will be able to fulfill his aspiration."
Girard-diCarlo was speaking from his personal experience of trying to maintain a practice when he started as chairman, but said that the firm created a new management structure in 2001 that includes additional players to assist the managing partner. Those positions include an executive committee and a financial partner, he said.
"His first client is Blank Rome," Girard-diCarlo said.
Buchholz agreed that the firm would take top priority, but said it was important for a manager to practice law as well.
He said that in his three years as executive partner, he spent about half of his time working with clients and expects that he will spend a little less than that in his new role.
Buchholz was the first person to hold the role of executive partner, and Girard-diCarlo said it is up to him as to how to fill that position. For now, the firm does not plan on putting someone in the role right away, he said.
According to Girard-diCarlo, the position was created to accomplish a seamless transition in this type of scenario.
The position of managing partner is set up in three-year terms with no limit on how many terms a person can hold, Blume said earlier this month.
Blume's term was set to end in 2008. He will now take on the honorary title of chairman emeritus and will remain on the compensation and executive committees.
Blume has been with the firm since 1967 and took on the management functions in 2003 when Girard-diCarlo relinquished the posts to focus more on firm strategy. Prior to that, Blume had served as the firm's chief operating officer.
From 2000 to 2002, he served with Girard-diCarlo as co-chairman of the firm and administrative partner.
Girard-diCarlo will remain chairman of the firm.
At 41, Buchholz is one of the youngest managing partners in the area.
Sandra Mannix of Abelson Legal Search said that it is good to see that firms are open to filling these roles regardless of the attorney's age.
"They're smart. They're good. They've got a lot of energy," she said of the trend of younger partners in leadership positions.
Mannix said that as much as people view Philadelphia firms as "white shoe firms," the reality has changed a bit.
"They're very open and very flexible," she said. "That's certainly what we see more of."
Michael Coleman of Coleman Legal Search said the role of executive partner has given Buchholz some preparation for his new position.
Buchholz said he would take advantage of Blume's experience as managing partner and CEO in the coming months before he makes the official transition.
"I think it's important for the next generation to emerge, and at Blank Rome we're doing it in a way where the current generation is still here," Buchholz said.
After leaving the firm for public service, Buchholz worked for the administration from 2001 to 2002. During that time, he also served as transition team chairman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Buchholz was co-chairman of the transition team for Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett. He served as Pennsylvania general counsel for the Bush-Cheney 2004 presidential campaign. He is currently a member of the executive committee of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
posted by Jones Lang LaSalle NJ News Blog at 2:47 PM
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