Crackerjack lawyers can fizzle as firm chairmen

March 1, 2002
When Littler Mendelson chief Wendy Tice-Wallner turns to the employment law firm's executive committee, she's not always seeking a lawyer's opinion.
To be sure, San Francisco-based Littler Mendelson is steeped in legal know-how, and its five-member executive committee includes Tice-Wallner and three partners. But one of the top decision-makers, Chief Operating Officer Hank Lewis, is not a lawyer.
It's a scenario that's evolving in many firms, and one that may deserve more exploration as some larger firms struggle in the current economic downturn. Lawyers serving three- to five-year stints as chairmen or managing partners, some say, aren't up to the challenge of overseeing larger and increasingly businesslike operations.