New chairperson at Arent Fox

Mark Katz, formerly the co-chair of the business department, has been appointed as the new chairperson at Arent Fox. After 14 years in the top role Marc Fleischaker has stepped aside, though he will remain at the firm to concentrate on antitrust and civil rights cases. Katz said that despite the challenges presented by the current economic environment, Arent Fox is in relatively good shape as a result of cautious growth during the boom. "Some of the firms that grew very rapidly and worked on a mega-international platform seem to be running into difficulties," he said. "We've grown on a patient pace, and that's helped us." Of course, it hasn’t all been plain sailing: it has been noted that Arent Fox braced for impact in 2008 by de-equitising three or four partners, and that they have revoked offers to 12 incoming first-year graduates, and laid off 13 associates and 15 staff members in 2009.

New chairperson at Arent Fox abajournal.com Wed, Mar 10, 2010