Pittsburgh, PA, July 10, 2008 — LAWFUEL – Legal Newswire – Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney announced today that John A. (Jack) Barbour, an executive shareholder at Buchanan since 2006, was unanimously chosen by the firm’s shareholders as CEO-elect. Barbour will spend the next year working alongside CEO Thomas L. VanKirk, who has served in that capacity since 2003. At the end of VanKirk’s term in June 2009, Barbour will take the reins as CEO. It is expected that after his term, VanKirk will continue with the firm in a role such as chairman of the board and will be actively involved in strategic issues for several years.
Barbour was nominated as CEO-elect by a committee of eight shareholders who spent months surveying attorneys and firm management. This succession process has been under development since 2005.
Bob Mukai, a shareholder in the firm’s Virginia office and co-chair of the Nominating Committee, said, “While we talked to a number of talented attorneys for this position over the last few months, it didn’t take long for Jack to emerge as the strongest candidate. He was overwhelmingly considered to be the best person for this position, and his leadership experience as managing partner of Klett Rooney was a key factor in our decision. The support and admiration that he has inspired in his peers is remarkable.”
CEO VanKirk added: “Jack and I have known each other for years and have worked very closely together since 2006 when Buchanan merged with Klett Rooney. Since that time, it became increasingly apparent to me that he was my likely successor, and he is absolutely the right person for this job.”
Barbour says he’s most excited about leading a team of lawyers and professionals like those he’s come to know at Buchanan.
“Over the last several years, we have assembled a group of premier professionals at Buchanan through mergers, combinations and existing practitioners who are dedicated to serving clients, and I’m absolutely thrilled to lead such a talented group,” Barbour said. “I also look forward to continuing to work with Tom over the next year to further advance the firm’s platform for growth in all of our offices.”
VanKirk also stressed the importance of succession management as part of a strategic plan.
“Succession management is extremely important for any major corporation, and we have taken the time we needed to put the right procedure into place,” he said. “Our goal is to have a smooth, seamless transition next year, and I’m certain that’s what will happen.”
About Barbour
John A. Barbour is CEO-elect, executive shareholder and chief diversity and integration officer for Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He focuses his practice on real estate development and financing. His experiences include the representation of private companies, developers, insurance companies and pension funds. Barbour has focused his practice in recent years on serving a number of key clients, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, Foster Holdings, Inc., and Lincoln Property Company.
Prior to joining Buchanan, Barbour was president and managing shareholder of Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling. He was also a member of that firm’s Board of Directors. When Klett Rooney merged with Buchanan in 2006, Barbour led the integration and cross-selling efforts for the combined firm.
He was selected by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Active in the community, Barbour served as board chairman for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for eight years, and is a life trustee and was a member for many years of the Executive Committee of the Carnegie Institute. In his capacity as board chairman, he led in developing the concept, funding and completion of the world’s leading dinosaur exhibit, Dinosaurs in Their Time.
Barbour holds an undergraduate degree from Davidson College and earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University.
About VanKirk
Thomas L. VanKirk is the chief executive officer of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. In addition to his role as CEO, VanKirk is a practicing litigator and corporate advisor. He also leads the firm’s client team initiative and lateral recruiting. Prior to becoming the firm’s CEO, he served as its chief operating officer for more than 18 years.
In his role leading the firm’s client team initiative, VanKirk is involved with nearly every client team and has worked on a number of significant initiatives to further develop the firm’s client service program. As Buchanan grows, VanKirk also remains deeply committed to recruiting lateral hires and groups of attorneys to the firm.
His practice focuses on corporate takeovers, antitrust litigation and counseling as well as domestic and foreign antitrust matters, including international licensing and joint technology agreements. He also has provided government relations services to the firm’s clients.
VanKirk was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 editions of The Best Lawyers in America.
Actively involved in numerous not-for-profit and public service organizations, VanKirk chairs the Board of the Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern PA and serves on the Board and Executive Committees of the PEL, the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology and Catalyst Connection. He also serves on the Boards and Executive Committees of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. He is past chair of Pennsylvanians for Effective Government (now the PA Business Council) and continues to serve on the policy board of that organization. Finally, he is a Council member of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
VanKirk holds an undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and earned his J.D. cum laude from Dickinson College School of Law.
About the Firm
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC (www.buchananingersoll.com) has more than 500 attorneys and government relations professionals practicing throughout the United States, with multiple offices in California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as offices in Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
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