Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has named Eric Schroeder as its new Atlanta leader, succeeding Patrick Watson, who'd been the local managing partner since 2014.

Two years after the firm's trans-Atlantic merger, Schroeder said, one key focus for him will be continuing to develop client connections between the Atlanta lawyers and those in the firm's international offices.

Schroeder has been with the firm through several iterations after starting his legal career in 1995 at Atlanta's Powell Goldstein, which was acquired by St. Louis-based Bryan Cave in 2009. Bryan Cave merged with the U.K.'s Berwin Leighton Paisner, forming Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, in April 2018.

The Atlanta office, with about 90 lawyers, is Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner's fourth-largest office, after London, St. Louis and New York. The firm has about 1,400 lawyers in 30 offices globally.

In an interview, Schroeder said the merger has created opportunities to share work between Atlanta and the firm's London and other European offices. Revenue from work both imported to or exported from the Atlanta office has increased since the merger, he said, so that inbound Atlanta work from the firm's U.S. and international offices makes up about one-third of the office's total work.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner announced the Atlanta leadership change as part of broader firmwide changes, all effective Jan. 1. The previous Atlanta leader, Watson, has been elected to the firm's governing board for a three-year term, while another Atlanta partner, Greg Worthy, has rotated off the board.

For the Atlanta office, Schroeder said, the bulk of the integration work from the trans-Atlantic merger is done, almost two years in, and the focus now is "to take advantage of the synergy."

With the merger, the Atlanta lawyers have gained the ability to service their clients around the world, said Schroeder, who has an intellectual property practice focused on protecting clients' content and brands.

He said he's seen that in his own practice, representing media and tech companies, sports teams, manufacturers and retailers.

"We are an Atlanta office with a hometown Atlanta feel  but the reach of a powerhouse global firm," Schroeder said, just before departing for a visit this week to the firm's London office along with the representative for a local client, Neenah Paper and Packaging, and corporate and M&A partner Terry Childers.

With the merger, Schroeder said, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is now handling the international IP portfolio for Neenah, a purveyor of high-end paper products headquartered in Alpharetta.

On the London visit, Schroeder will introduce the Neenah representatives to the firm's London partners to familiarize the client with specialty areas of law that fit with what it does globally. The London lawyers also have set up meetings for Neenah with investment bankers, he said.

"We're helping the world be smaller for our clients," Schroeder said.

Schroeder said he'd like to further grow the Atlanta office, particularly in real estate, finance and health care, which are some of its busy practices. "It just depends on finding good people. That is always the key," he said.

"I'm very passionate about this office," he added. "I've been here over two decades so it's like my family."