Incoming, Outgoing Morgan Lewis Chairs on Transition Plans, Law360 Pulse
March 24, 2026Law360 Pulse spoke with Morgan Lewis Chair Jami McKeon and Chair-Elect David McManus about the firm’s upcoming transition plans and leadership continuity, Ms. McKeon’s proudest achievements as she reflects on her tenure, and Mr. McManus’s cultural priorities as he prepares to assume the role.
Mr. McManus emphasized a deliberate and collaborative transition, noting that he plans to spend the coming months “being a sponge” and engaging closely with partners, lawyers, and business professionals across the firm, adding, “I plan to do a lot of listening for the next six months.” He also highlighted the importance of preserving the firm’s culture, pointing to Jami’s “innate and unique ability to connect across the firm” as “incredibly important to the glue that makes up our firm.”
Reflecting on her tenure, Ms. McKeon pointed to the firm’s sustained growth and evolution while maintaining its core values: “I just look at how our firm has continued on that steady state, becoming really a global powerhouse, while at the same time retaining our essential culture,” she said, adding that the firm’s longstanding ethos that “there's no limit to what we can achieve as long as no one cares who gets the credit” remains unchanged.