Proskauer Rose has hired Carol Sawdye as its new chief operating officer, effective Dec. 2, the firm said Thursday. Sawdye will oversee the firm’s operations and its approximately 800 business services professionals.

The COO position had been vacant at Proskauer for nearly two years. Since the firm’s former COO, Jonathan O’Brien, left in late 2022, the firm’s managing partner has been handling the position’s duties.

Proskauer sued O’Brien in late 2022, alleging he attempted to steal trade secrets from the firm and bring them to another firm, Paul Hastings, where he had accepted a position. O’Brien and Proskauer reached a confidential settlement in February of this year. O’Brien’s employment offer at Paul Hastings was rescinded.

Sawdye, the new COO at Proskauer, didn’t come directly from another large firm. She was most recently the chief financial officer at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where she had been for the past four years.

She also has a law firm background. She was at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom from 2002 through 2010, with her most advanced title being COO there. She also held several positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, culminating in her role as global chief operating officer there.

“As I thought about the next phase of my career, I could think of no better place for me than Proskauer,” Sawdye said in a statement. “I have known the firm and its team for many years, and there are few places with a culture where the desire to be great is as important as having the right people.”

Tim Mungovan, chair of Proskauer, said Sawdye “is a world-class executive with extensive experience and expertise in making smart investments in talent, operations and strategic initiatives,” adding she has a track record of “growing organizations through collaborative and strategic thinking.”

In a statement, Ira Bogner, managing partner at Proskauer, said she has built and expanded corporate functions across industries throughout her career. “Her extensive experience with global organizations will be an asset to Proskauer and will help to enhance client service while driving our long-term vision,” Bogner said.