Leadership Succession at Buchanan Ingersoll

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July 10, 2008 6:15 PM

Leadership Succession at Buchanan Ingersoll

Posted by Dimitra Kessenides

By Tosin Sulaiman

Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney has announced a new CEO to succeed Thomas Van Kirk when his term ends. John A. Barbour, the firm's chief diversity and integration officer, will assume the job at the Pittsburgh-based firm as of next June.

With the decision and the vote coming well in advance of the switch, the firm has plenty of time to work through a transition. Barbour will assume some new responsibilities immediately--as CEO-elect, he will work with VanKirk on, as he describes it, "all items of leadership in the firm," including Buchanan's strategic direction.

The vote to appoint Barbour was unanimous by Buchanan's shareholders. VanKirk says he realized Barbour--known as "Jack" by his colleagues--was the best candidate to succeed him after the two first began working together in 2006. "Since that time, it became increasingly apparent to me that he was my likely successor, and he is absolutely the right person for the job," VanKirk said in a statement announcing Barbour's selection.

Barbour was president and managing shareholder of Pittsburgh-based Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling before joining Buchanan in July 2006 as the result of a firm merger. His practice focuses mainly on real estate development and financing, and he has represented private companies, developers, insurance companies, and pension funds. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Foster Holdings, Inc. and Lincoln Property Company are among Barbour's clients.

Leadership experience at his own firm, as well as at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History--he served as chairman of the museum's board for eight years--was a key factor in the decision, as Barbour sees it.

Buchanan Ingersoll had gross revenues of $282 million and profits per equity partner of $570,000 last year, with the firm dropping ten spots in the Am Law 100 rankings as it absorbed costs stemming from the merger.

As CEO, Barbour says his goal is to keep moving the firm "forward." "This is an ever-changing business and we need to move it forward rapidly," he says. "We need to focus on client service to be in a position where we can attract excellent lawyers with high ethics."

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