Baker McKenzie has elected Colin Murray to take over as the firm’s North America managing partner on 1 July. He succeeds Rick Hammett, who’s stepping down from the role he’s held for three years to continue his employment practice at the global firm.
Murray, a seasoned trial lawyer and former prosecutor, is currently the managing partner of the firm's San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. He has practiced at Baker McKenzie for the last 17 years.
A senior member of the firm's North America Litigation and Government Enforcement Practice, where he also holds a seat on the steering committee, he has represented global and local clients in complex business disputes, has tried more than 50 cases to final jury verdict, and has served as lead counsel in many bench trials and private arbitrations.
Michael Wagner, Baker McKenzie's North America chair and Global Executive Committee member, said that Murray is a proven leader in the firm who is highly respected by both colleagues and clients.
Murray will lead the more than 850 Baker McKenzie lawyers in the US and Canada. The firm has grown in North America over the last two years, adding more than 40 lateral partners in areas including M&A, litigation, employment, tax, and compliance.
In the US, it has offices in Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In Canada, the global firm has an office in Toronto.
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