Press Release
Press Release
05.06.15
Pillsbury today announced that James M. Rishwain, Jr. has been re-elected by his partners to serve the firm as Chairman for a fourth term. Rishwain will serve as Chair through December 2016 at which point he has decided to step down and a new Chair will take the reins. The firm also announced two newly-elected Board members: Washington, DC partner Josh Romanow and Northern Virginia partner William P. Atkins.
Rishwain, who was first elected Chair in 2006, led the firm to its most profitable year in 2014. Pillsbury made bold investments last year, including new offices in Beijing and Austin, Texas, both strategic markets. Pillsbury’s growth has been carefully managed with the firm developing and maintaining a rock-solid balance sheet throughout these recent expansions.
“I am honored that my partners have selected me to continue to lead Pillsbury,” Rishwain said. “Even as we take pride in what this firm has accomplished, we are poised to go to the next level, building on our enviable client base, our global platform and our collaborative culture.”
Rishwain said he looks forward to seeing through several important firm initiatives in the coming year. “I am very proud of what Pillsbury has accomplished in recent years. We did more than just weather the Great Recession; we sharpened our focus on our clients’ needs and their industries, and we are a stronger firm for it.
“A big part of our success is due to our forward-thinking culture,” Rishwain added. “When I pass the baton, I will have served for more than a decade. I have no doubt but that the next Chair will bring a fresh perspective and additional innovation to our firm and our industry, building on the strategic foundation we have established.”
Staying true to the firm’s sector focus, Pillsbury continues to acquire talent in core areas like technology, energy, real estate and financial services. So far in 2015, Pillsbury has recruited 20 partners laterally in markets including Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC. “We are taking an increasingly aggressive approach to building on our strong platform and providing the very best talent and service to our clients. The salient challenge is to anticipate client needs in an ever-changing marketplace, and to seamlessly provide the resources, expertise, and innovation to meet those needs,” said Rishwain. “At Pillsbury, we welcome that challenge.”
Serving with Rishwain as Pillsbury Board members for 2015-2016 are James L. Alberg, William P. Atkins, David T. Dekker, Jeffrey J. Delaney, Mike Hird, Donald G. Kilpatrick, Allison M. Leopold Tilley, Edward A. Perron, Marcia L. Pope, Josh Romanow and Blair W. White.
About Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Pillsbury is a full-service law firm with an industry focus on energy & natural resources, financial services including financial institutions, real estate & construction, and technology. Based in the world's major financial, technology and energy centers, Pillsbury counsels clients on global business, regulatory and litigation matters. We work in multidisciplinary teams that allow us to understand our clients’ objectives, anticipate trends and bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and legal issues—helping clients to take greater advantage of new opportunities, meet and exceed their objectives and better mitigate risk. This collaborative work style helps produce the results our clients seek.