Baker Donelson has elected Timothy M. Lupinacci to serve as the firm's next chairman and chief executive officer.
A shareholder in the Birmingham office of Baker Donelson, Mr. Lupinacci is chair of the Financial Services Department, a member of the firm's board of directors and former managing shareholder of the Birmingham office. He will assume the role of chairman and CEO in late April 2019, when Ben C. Adams, who has served as the firm's chairman and CEO for the last 15 years, steps down. Mr. Adams will remain with Baker Donelson and will continue his practice focused on estate planning and corporate law.
Mr. Adams said, "It has been my great privilege to serve my colleagues and lead this firm. After 15 years, it is time for new energy, new ideas and new approaches. As we have planned and prepared for this transition, I am thrilled that after a thorough search process, our board has elected Tim as our next CEO. In addition to being an outstanding practitioner and accomplished firm and industry leader, Tim is a doer, a motivator and a visionary. He is exactly the person we need to lead Baker Donelson forward in these rapidly changing times in our profession."
"Under Mr. Adams's leadership, Baker Donelson has grown from a firm of around 350 attorneys across ten offices to become one of the 60 largest law firms in the country, with more than 750 attorneys across 22 offices in ten states and Washington, D.C. Throughout the firm's significant growth, it has created and maintained a strong culture as an exceptional workplace, earning a spot on Fortune's '100 Best Companies to Work For' list for nine consecutive years. Mr. Adams has garnered multiple honors recognizing his leadership, including being named among "America's Most Innovative Managing Partners" by Law360," officials said.
"Ben's extraordinary vision has been instrumental to Baker Donelson's ability to grow while maintaining a commitment to transparency, teamwork and valuing the contribution every team member makes in delivering exceptional service to our clients," said Baker Donelson President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer P. Keller. "Tim shares Ben's belief that this emphasis on culture is integral to our success, and he brings the leadership and initiative necessary to build on that culture while continuing to move Baker Donelson forward."
"I am tremendously honored by the confidence that Ben, Jennifer and our board have placed in me," said Mr. Lupinacci. "It is difficult to overstate the impact that Ben has had on this firm, so I look forward to working closely with him over the coming months and benefiting from his guidance as I take on this new role."
In addition to his leadership roles within Baker Donelson, Mr. Lupinacci serves on the firm's Diversity Committee and previously served as co-chair of Baker Donelson's Women's Initiative Pathways to Leadership Committee. He is a recipient of both the firm's Susan E. Rich Award, in recognition of an unflagging commitment to advancement of women at Baker Donelson and to women's issues generally, and the Barry Ford Diversity Award, in recognition of an ongoing commitment to strengthen the atmosphere of inclusion at Baker Donelson.
"After more than 28 years of experience representing financial institutions throughout the country in complex issues arising in restructuring, Mr. Lupinacci has earned numerous accolades as a leader in his field. He has been consistently listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights. He is also a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute. Mr. Lupinacci is a graduate of the University of Vanderbilt School of Law and The University of Montevallo, where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees," officials said.