Four Heads to Manage SNR Denton

News

posted 22 Jun 2010

Four Heads to Manage SNR Denton

The partnerships at US-based Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal (SNR) and UK-based Denton Wilde Sapte (Denton) unanimously voted on 9 June for the combination of the two firms into SNR Denton. The full-service law firm, which will reportedly be among the top 25 largest in the world, will be structured as a Swiss Verein and launch on 30 September 2010.

For the first three years, the new firm will be managed by two co-CEOs, SNR Chairman Elliot Portnoy and Denton CEO Howard Morris. The CEOs will be supported by co-chairmen Joseph Andrew of SNR and Martin Kitchen of Denton. After that period, there will be a single CEO and chairman.

Portnoy and Morris have revealed to Managing Partner that the former will most likely be SNR Denton’s CEO once the joint executive roles are consolidated.

“I will take on the CEO role after about three years, that’s our understanding,” says Portnoy.

“I anticipate that it will be Elliot,” notes Morris in a separate conversation.

The length of each term for the CEO or chairman has yet to be confirmed, but there will be no fixed limit on the number of terms Portnoy can serve.

However, Morris’ future role within SNR Denton has yet to be determined. “I hope to remain within the firm at that stage… but what I’ll do next I haven’t decided yet,” he says.

In line with Denton’s traditional management structure, the CEOs will run the firm on a day-to-day basis and the Chairs will provide support and advice in a “first friend” capacity on operational matters, strategy formulation, and pastoral care for staff and clients.

Following the culture of both firms, decisions will predominantly be made by consensus. Provisions have also been built into the combination agreement for the requirement of majority support for decisions, where necessary.

The latest in a notable line of transatlantic law firm mergers – Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper and most recently Hogan Lovells – SNR Denton will have offices in 18 countries across four continents.

A three to five-year strategic plan for the new firm has yet to be formulated, but Morris says this will most likely encapsulate an international growth strategy. In particular, SNR Denton will be looking to expand its presence in Asia (in which the new firm will have only a Singapore office), as well in existing strong markets.