Chicago and New York, April 7, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Baker & McKenzie LLP announced today that José M. de Lasa, retired Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Abbott, has joined the Firm as a Partner. He will reside in the Firm’s Chicago office for several months before relocating to its New York office.
De Lasa will focus his practice on the domestic and cross border needs of Fortune 1000 companies. With his industry background, he will devote extensive attention to Baker & McKenzie’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industry practice. He will also work closely with the Corporate & Securities group focusing on General Counsel, senior executive and board of directors advice and counseling, particularly related to corporate governance, compliance and internal investigations. As a committed and successful advocate of diversity in the workplace, de Lasa will also bring his experience to assist Baker & McKenzie and its clients in advancing workplace diversity.
“We have enjoyed working closely with José over the past ten years – in fact, Abbott is the Firm’s very first, and longest client,” said David Hackett, Baker & McKenzie LLP’s North American Managing Partner. “José will be a substantial resource for our global and regional pharmaceutical/healthcare groups, as well as our cross border practices. In addition, his unique insight as a former General Counsel will be an extraordinary asset for clients seeking advice in an array of corporate, regulatory, governance and investigatory areas. Similarly we look forward to his contribution to us and our clients in realizing greater diversity in the workplace.”
Prior to his service as General Counsel with Abbott (1994 – 2005), de Lasa was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Bristol-Myers Squibb. While at Bristol-Myers, he also served as International Counsel and was stationed for some years in Brussels. Before joining Bristol-Myers in 1976, he practiced with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York.
“I look forward to returning to practice, and eventually being in New York, and be close to our children and grandchildren, after ten enjoyable and challenging years as Abbott’s general counsel. I have used the services of Baker & McKenzie around the world for the past 30 years, both at Abbott and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and have come to respect and value the Firm and am happy now to be part of it,” said de Lasa.
Born and raised in Cuba, de Lasa earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Yale University, and a law degree from Yale Law School. He serves on the boards of directors of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the Midtown Educational Foundation, the Resource Foundation, the Stovir Foundation and the American Arbitration Association and is on the Advisory Board of the Instituto Cervantes in Chicago. He is a member of The Association of General Counsel, the North Shore General Counsel Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Bar Association.
Commenting on de Lasa’s joining, John Conroy, Chairman of Baker & McKenzie’s Executive Committee, said, “We are delighted to welcome José to Baker & McKenzie. His unique background and experience will offer extraordinary perspective to our global clientele and bolster our core cross border practices.”
