October 1, 2014: Jami Wintz McKeon today begins a five-year term as Chair of global law firm Morgan Lewis. She succeeds Francis M. Milone, who held the position since 1999 and led the firm through a period of dramatic growth in geographic reach and range of practices while maintaining a steadfast commitment to client service.
During three-plus decades at Morgan Lewis, Ms. McKeon has held a number of significant management positions, including membership on the firm’s Advisory Board and on its Compensation Committee. Until recently, she led the Litigation Practice, Morgan Lewis’s largest practice group. She was also instrumental in spearheading the firm’s expansion in California, Texas, and outside the United States in key commercial centers.
In her own practice, which she will maintain during her term as Chair, Ms. McKeon handles high stakes litigation and counsels Fortune 100 companies on complex legal and regulatory issues. Those include matters related to mortgage, credit card, and trust issues for some of the world’s largest banks.
“I am deeply honored to lead the dedicated lawyers and staff who make Morgan Lewis a truly great firm,” Ms. McKeon said. “Though it has grown substantially since I joined in 1981, the firm has never wavered in its commitment to client service and internal collaboration. I attribute this to Fran’s extraordinary leadership during a period of tremendous change for the legal profession.”
“Morgan Lewis could not be in better hands,” Mr. Milone said of his successor. “Jami’s energy, passionate dedication to our core values, and track record of leadership make her ideally suited to lead our firm.”
Ms. McKeon has been a leading innovator within the legal industry. An early advocate of alternative fee arrangements, she helped to pioneer several programs for clients focused on non-traditional fee arrangements. Such approaches are now becoming increasingly common at law firms. She also has championed law firm diversity, and technological advancements both within the firm and to better assist clients with their data management requirements.
“Our focus on technology, our intense desire to retain and recruit the best and brightest lawyers on the planet, our commitment to add real value to our clients—all arise from our fundamental goal to serve our clients’ business needs worldwide,” Ms. McKeon said. “We built this firm on long-standing, deep relationships with our clients. That’s something that will not change under my stewardship of Morgan Lewis.”
Ms. McKeon’s work has also earned her numerous accolades, including her 2014 election to the American Law Institute. She has also recently been recognized by The American Lawyer in the category Best Lawyers–Commercial Litigation; by The Daily Journal, as one of the “Top 75 Women Litigators” and as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California”; and by The Legal Intelligencer, which this year named her one of its “Women of the Year.”
A forceful promoter of the firm’s pro bono efforts, Ms. McKeon frequently speaks at and takes an active part in various community service organizations, including the Philadelphia Bar Association and the United Way. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.