(Left to right) Michael Kelly, outgoing McCarter & English executive committee chairman, Joseph Boccassini, managing partner, and Joseph Lubertazzi, incoming chairman. (Courtesy photos)

McCarter & English has named a new chairman to its executive committee, the firm announced Tuesday.

Bankruptcy attorney Joseph Lubertazzi, who has been at McCarter & English for 35 years, will assume the role on Oct. 1, the firm said. He will succeed Michael Kelly, who, after serving as chairman of the executive committee for 10 years, decided to step down from his leadership role and refocus on his litigation practice.

Newark-based Lubertazzi said he hopes to continue the momentum of Kelly's leadership and use it to further improve the firm.

"He was a guiding light moving the firm forward, especially in these times," Lubertazzi said of Kelly's tenure. "Mike wanted to get back and try cases for the benefit of the firm, and it's important to have transition. It was a good thing for the firm and a good thing for Mike, we're thankful for what he's done."

Joseph Boccassini, McCarter & English's managing partner, added that one of Kelly's key roles had been inspiring a new generation of leaders at the firm, including Lubertazzi, who has been a member of the executive committee for four and a half years.

"Mike was a transformative leader in my mind," he said. "His leadership by example set the tone for the executive committee and taught us all lessons in leadership and succession planning. As the age of the partners continues to grow, younger talent is ready to step into leadership roles."

With that in mind, Lubertazzi fit the bill perfectly, Boccassini said, adding that even though Lubertazzi has been at the firm for more than three decades, he still has many years of practice ahead. He said he is impressed by how much Lubertazzi had accomplished during his time at the firm.

"In terms of leadership growth initiatives, [Lubertazzi has] gotten to know the entire firm," Boccassini said. "That's really important now, having a one-firm mindset."

Lubertazzi said he has an active practice and does not expect that to change when he assumes his new role next month, especially since he has spent years balancing his clients with leadership positions in the firm, including his role on the executive committee and as a practice-group leader.

"It is more of a responsibility, so it will add to my daily life, but that's fine," he said, noting that he's already worked on the firm's strategic plan, which it adopted two years ago and calls for growth in various practice areas, including venture capital, intellectual property litigation, pharmaceutical and medical medical mass tort cases, and alternative dispute resolution. The firm said it is also focused on innovation, pro bono commitment and increasing diversity.

Focusing on these areas has already proved successful for the firm, according to Lubertazzi, who said that, financially, the last three years have been the best in the firm's 175-year history. He said the firm has worked hard to develop a number of practice groups, and the lessons learned are applicable to other specialties the firm is developing.

"We're very pleased with the way the firm is doing from a client service and growth point of view, and we're just proceeding that way," he said.

Lubertazzi added that he feels prepared to grow on these plans as the industry changes during the next few years. The firm is not concerned about the effects of a potential recession, he said, because most of its litigation work is recession-proof and countercyclical, and the firm's strong bankruptcy and real estate practices make it poised to offer services to clients in any market cycle.

"Having been here for so long, I have a sense of the firm," he said, adding that his experience as a bankruptcy attorney focusing on the creditor side gives him some business savvy he hopes will help when assessing firm financials.

"The firm has treated me very well. I'm very excited to help my partners and help the firm," he said.