Baker & McKenzie has named Coudert Brothers’ former chairman as one-third of its tripartite management committee for the New York office and has announed a new office managing partner. Former Coudert chief Clyde ‘Skip’ Rankin will jointly head the office’s management with finance partner Jenna Bellwin and Charles Niemeth, who succeeds Gerry Hayes as New York managing partner. Niemeth is also a relative newcomer to the Manhattan office, arriving in March 2005 from O’Melveny & Myers.