Baker McKenzie has appointed compensation and employment partner Barbara Klementz as its California managing partner, the firm announced Tuesday. She will oversee more than 250 lawyers and support staff across the global legal giant's offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco.

Klementz succeeds litigation partner Colin Murray, who on July 1 became Baker McKenzie's North American managing partner. She will also continue to lead the firm's California global equity services and compensation and employment practice groups.

One of Klementz's primary goals as regional managing partner will be to cross-sell legal services offered by the firm, which in January dropped the ampersand from its name. Baker McKenzie's California team currently dominates in fields that other firms might consider too niche to invest in, such as employment, executive compensation and international tax law, Klementz said.