Montgomery McCracken Elects Richard M. Simins as Chairman
March 9, 2020
Types : Press Releases
Montgomery McCracken announced today that Richard M. Simins has been elected Chairman of the firm. Simins succeeds Louis A. Petroni, who held the position since 2016. Simins was with Montgomery McCracken from 1989 to 2001 and rejoined the firm in February of 2017 and recently served as the firm’s Vice-Chairman and Executive Partner. He has worked alongside Petroni and the firm’s Management Committee on strategic planning, client development, and overall firm management.
Petroni remains an integral part of the firm’s leadership serving as Executive Chairman and on its Management Committee alongside Simins, Frank A. Chernak, Steven Pachman, John G. Papianou, Richard G. Placey, and Paul H. Zoubek. New members of the Management Committee include Labor and Employment Vice-Chair William K. Kennedy and Intellectual Property Department Chair Alfred W. Zaher.
“I am extremely pleased that Rick will be taking over as the next Chairman of Montgomery McCracken,” Petroni said. “This firm is deeply rooted in history and prides itself on providing the highest level of client service. Rick’s commitment and dedication to this firm and its clients is unwavering. I have no doubt he is the right person to continue to lead the firm.”
Simins has been instrumental in overseeing the growth of the firm by establishing an Intellectual Property Department and creating the firm’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer position which is held by Zaher. In addition, he bolstered the firm’s New York and Delaware offices by bringing on a group of six bankruptcy attorneys led by the Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Department Chair Edward L. Schnitzer.
“I am humbled and honored that my partners have entrusted me to serve as the firm’s Chairman,” Simins said. “Montgomery McCracken emphasizes collaboration, cost-effectiveness and efficiency, and maintains a direct focus on providing cutting-edge legal solutions to its clients. It is my goal to maintain that high level of client service and build on the great work of my predecessor.”
Simins is an accomplished commercial trial attorney with more than 25 years of diverse experience ranging across the entire civil litigation spectrum. He received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1988, where he was Senior Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He earned a B.A. from Princeton University in 1978. He served as law clerk to the Honorable Marvin Katz (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania) in 1988-89.
About Montgomery McCracken
Montgomery McCracken is a full-service law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The firm represents leading businesses, multinational corporations, nonprofit organizations and individuals across a wide range of industries in complex litigation matters, significant corporate transactions and challenging disputes. Follow the firm on Twitter at @MMWR_Law.