With the tenure of firmwide managing partner Michael McBride coming to an end with the new year, Connell Foley's partners elected Philip McGovern Jr., who's headed the firm's Jersey City operation since 2002.McGovern, a 30-year veteran of the Roseland-based firm, took over the post as of Jan. 1 for McBride, who served two three-year terms—the maximum time allowable under its partnership agreement.McGovern was recommended by the executive committee—of which he is a member—and voted through by the firm's equity partners.“My goal is to continue with the measured growth that we have had over the last 15 or so years,” McGovern said in an interview. “I think there certainly is a place for a firm our size to continue doing what we've been doing.”McGovern, who for years has practiced out of Jersey City, now envisions spending up to 70 percent of his time at the Roseland headquarters, with the balance spread among the Jersey City, New York and Cherry Hill offices, as well as one opened in Newark just months ago.McGovern said his stint managing the two Jersey City branches was an “excellent experience,” but the new role is a “good next step.”“It's tough to take the Hudson County kid out of Hudson County,” said McGovern, a Jersey City native. “But I'm looking at this as a new opportunity.”Asked if the new role puts a strain on his time, McGovern said that “certainly is a consideration because it'll be challenging to balance the continuation of my practice with the administrative needs of the firm.”Since 2010, it's been McBride whose job it was to address those needs.McBride, who joined Connell Foley in 1986, said his tenure as managing partner “was kind of the bridge” between the firm's old guard—led by Adrian “Bud” Foley Jr., who died nearly a year ago—and the younger partners. He noted that he reduced the executive committee from 12 lawyers to six, and increased the number of women on the committee to three.McBride said the firm performed well during his time, but the two-term limit is an important rule.“The feeling here is, the leadership of the firm are very productive people,” he said. “We need them in the community; we need them with clients.”“There's no question about it, it does take up a lot of time,” he said.McBride will continue to chair the firm's construction group. McGovern characterized the state of the firm as “healthy and vibrant.”A Law Journal survey from last year appears to support the claim: Connell Foley had 5.2 percent year-over-year revenue growth—and 16.4 percent revenue growth over a five-year period—in fiscal 2014.The firm is perhaps best known for its litigation practices, but McGovern works on the transactional side, handling primarily real estate, as well as corporate and public finance.The opening of the first Jersey City office in 2002 with three lawyers eventually grew to two offices and 16 lawyers, and was spurred by an active real estate redevelopment market in Hudson County, he said.“There certainly are other firms that do vie for that work,” he said. “We were fortunate to get in there early.”McGovern said he wouldn't, as managing partner, necessarily target transactional practices as a growth strategy.“I wouldn't say it's the highest of priorities,” but “it's one of the areas we're interested in,” he said.“It's a priority, but it's a priority that's on balance with all our practice areas,” he added. “I want it to be balanced with all the other things that we do. I want to give the growth of that practice area the same type of attention I would give the growth of any of our other practice areas.”He noted that the firm is “very open to lateral possibilities.”McGovern has spent his entire career at Connell Foley, joining as a law clerk in 1983, while still in law school, and as an associate in 1985.He is a 1984 graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law and a 1980 graduate of St. Michael's College.Outside the firm, he's been active in the community, particularly in Jersey City. For instance, he is current chair of the board of trustees of St. Peter's Preparatory School, and is a trustee to the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce.McGovern has made some political contributions going back to the late 1990s, to both major political parties in amounts ranging from $100 to $1,000, according to electronic records kept by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.But, he said, “I do not consider myself to be politically active. I'm a guy who cares about what goes on in the community.”In other words, juggling commitments is not a new notion, he said.“I sometimes steal from Peter to pay Paul,” McGovern said, “but I manage the clock.”McBride said Connell Foley is positioned well going forward, but, “we live in a world where we need to adjust” to new and different client demands.“There are obviously a lot of challenges to the legal industry here in New Jersey,” McBride said.“And yes, we are primarily a litigation firm…At the same time, we've expanded in other areas,” such as health care and tax, in addition to the Hudson County-based real estate and land use practice, he said.“We've focused on areas where we think there will be growth going forward,” he said.According to McGovern, “the firm certainly is adapting.”“You have to stay ahead of the curve,” he said.Contact the reporter at [email protected].