The Churn: Firm Leader Edition

Since the start of the new year, law firms have virtually indundated The Am Law Daily with announcements heralding new hires and promotions. We’ve got another big batch of laternal partner moves teed up for publication Friday, but in the meantime here’s a look at the latest executive-level shuffles to come our way.

DLA Piper is expanding its firm leadership structure. As part of the change, ROGER MELTZER, a corporate and securities partner in New York, and CAMERON “JAY” RAINS, a corporate partner in San Diego, will become the firm’s U.S. co-chairs for a four-year term starting January 1, 2013. Until then, three partners will hold the domestic co-chair title: J. TERENCE O’MALLEY, the current U.S. managing partner, FRANK BURCH, and LEE MILLER (Burch currently holds the title of global co-chair; Lee currently serves as the firm’s joint CEO). That team will work closely with newly installed global co-chair Tony Angel, according to a firm press release, as well as SIR NIGEL KNOWLES, the firm’s managing partner and second joint CEO. For the next year, firm leaders will search for a replacement for a domestic managing partner to begin in 2013.