International law firm of Nixon Peabody names new managing partner

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Jan 9, 2008 by Elizabeth Stull

The international law firm Nixon Peabody LLP this week named Richard F. Langan Jr. to succeed Harry Trueheart as chief executive officer and managing partner.

Langan started with Nixon Hargrave in 1980 as a first-year associate. For the past few years he has led the firm's Business and Financial Services Department, which includes securities, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, finance, and related practices. Langan will continue serving clients in his new role.

"I am excited to work with my partners to increase our global presence and industry expertise while maintaining Nixon Peabody's focus on being the best firm to work for and the best firm to work with," Langan said.

The firm is looking to open a second international office in Asia and will continue to expand certain practice areas, including intellectual property, wind and renewable energy and fossil fuels, biotech, pharmaceutical and optical sciences.

"Increasingly, clients are asking us to have in-depth, up-to-the- minute knowledge of their specific industries, and we think we can provide that better than any other law firm in upstate New York,"?Langan said. "We're going to continue to be committed to the companies in the upstate region."

Scott Turner, managing partner of Nixon's Rochester office, has worked with Langan for 27 years and said he is pleased the firm chose Langan as managing partner.

"I've worked with him on both client matters and firm matters and I find him to be an outstanding lawyer, but also someone with excellent management skills," Turner said Tuesday.

Langan has handled several major mergers, acquisitions and public offerings. He represented JetBlue Airways Corp. on its acquisition of LiveTV LLC, and Xerox Corp. on its $415 million acquisition of Intelligent Electronics Inc. He represented Corning Inc. on its $3.6 billion acquisition of the optical components business of Perelli S.p.A. and on other transactions. He continues to represent area companies including Constellation Brands Inc., Corning Inc. and Gannett Co. Inc.

Trueheart, a litigation partner in the Rochester office, has been CEO and managing partner since 1994 and will continue to serve as chairman of the firm. During his tenure the firm saw a series of mergers and grew from a 250-lawyer regional firm with six offices to a 700-lawyer international firm.

Trueheart is in India on business this week, but wrote in an email that the firm's rapid growth was a response to market changes and "the Spirit of our partners."

He is particularly proud that FORTUNE?Magazine has named the firm "One of the Best 100 Places to Work," for the past two years.

In his new role as non-executive chairman, Trueheart will focus on client relationships and strategic growth.

Trueheart, 64, lives with his wife in his hometown of Pittsford.