Mayer Brown vice chairman Paul Maher has issued a highly unusual statement regarding his future at the Chicago-headquartered firm, announcing his decision to take a leave of absence following the firm’s recent leadership elections.
In the internal statement, seen by The Lawyer, Maher said: “In recent days I have been approached about several interesting opportunities. To give them careful consideration, which I am sure will understand I must do, I have requested and been granted a short sabbatical leave from the firm. Whatever my decision will be, it will involve me alone.”
Maher’s sabbatical follows widespread speculation about his role at the firm after it elected Bert Krueger to chairman earlier this month, while his US-based counterpart Ken Geller was elected to the newly created role of firmwide managing partner. The London-based Maher’s failure to get the top job triggered an outpouring of supportive comments on TheLawyer.com (17 April).
It is understood that Maher had difference of opinion over the strategic direction of the global firm. The renewed dominance of US partners in Mayer Brown’s management has been seen as heralding a more inward-looking strategy (20 April).
In his statement Maher said: “For the record I have long been a strong advocate for governance change and fully endorse the new structure. Bert Krueger and the new management team are very capable and I am confident they will continue to run the firm successfully.”
The announcement, which was sent in the name of the firm’s current chairman Jim Holzhauer, highlights Maher’s prominent role in the 2002 Rowe & Maw merger with Mayer Brown & Platt.
“Paul is a strong advocate of expanding the firm’s global footprint, which he helped bring about as the firm’s primary negotiator of Mayer Brown’s combination with JSM in Asia,” the statement said.
Prima donnas are alive and well in the City, recession or no.
Prima donna. Nooooooooooooo! I imagine this is his way of telling he firm he really will be leaving unless he gets a senior role in the firm (having threatened this in the past). Interesting comment re JSM. Many partners (especially in the US) think this was a massive costly near mistake…
One really interesting point – Bert Krueger was the only member of the management board who voted against the 2002 merger with Rowe & Maw. What does that tell you?
Maher is a huge loss for Mayer Brown. Rowe & Maw had nowhere near the reputation Mayer Brown has in the UK now. That is down to Paul Maher. There may well be a UK presence on the new board but that’s not very significant in my view. The person who has driven the firm in Europe is nearly out the door. What does that say about the future of Mayer Brown in Europe?
It’s ironic that Maher insisted on being the face and voice of Mayer Brown in Europe (only he and Connolly were allowed to speak to the press) and now his demise is being played out in full gaze of the media. Must be very humiliating for the poor guy.
If you’re going to leave a firm on your own initiative, do it quickly and quietly. If you’re being asked to go, take revenge and damage it’s reputation. So what do we think is happening here?
There does not appear to be anything vengeful or damaging in the internal email to partners which has been leaked to the press and reproduced here. In fact, there is a statement of support and respect for the new chairman.
When the most prominent face of the firm, and the one most closely associated with the firm’s progess to date, looks to leave for whatever reasons, it is bound to create public interest.
As predicted, Maher has opportunities that present him with the chance for a great future away from Mayer Brown. Despite what anyone says, it will be Mayer Brown alone that misses out. I am very surprised though that it has gone this far.
I work for Mayer Brown and let me publicly state that I and other fellow colleagues are considering our options in light of what has happened. Big mistake Mayer Brown!
The firm knew full well Maher would leave if he wasn’t given a (the?) top job at the firm. So it’s effectively a force out rather than a voluntary deparure. Maher is well aware that anything he says internally will end up on the interne. Rumours are already flooding the recruitment market that someone (who could it be?) is shopping around either the whole London office or large parts of the corporate practice to other firms.
Mayer Brown’s decision had little to do with a disagreement about the strategic direction of the firm and everything to do with Maher’s acceptability to the partnership. His dictatorial style of leadership clashed with the consensus building nature of the legacy Mayer Brown partners. As to the “outpouring of support,” I suspect its mostly Maher’s PR machine that has so effectively kept him (and not the firm or the London office) in the press so often.
Maher got voted back in as VC last year by a significant majority and so would appear acceptable to the partnership.
With respect, the comment posted at 11:10am is offensive and a distortion of the facts. This blogger alludes to ‘Maher’s PR machine’ as the reason for his success and cites his ‘dictatorial style’ as the reason to why he is probably leaving.
Firstly, Maher is an accomplished individual who has been honoured with a great array of awards most notably Partner of the year. He deserves all the support he has been given; he is certainly the easiest individual I have ever worked with.
All his clients have upmost respect for him, as do the vast majority of his colleges so much so significant numbers of associates and partners may walk out with him. To back this up a ‘significant majority’ of the partnership reinstated him as vice chairman only last year as the previous blogger exclaims.
I suspect the blogger in question represents the firms Chicago faction and can’t live up to the fact that Paul Maher has in many ways been the driving force behind Mayer Brown’s success.
Clearly comment at 5.34 is from Maher’s PR machine… the marketing manager at MB London worked full time for Maher and even wrote his speeches. Only Maher was permitted to speak with the media and (shockingly) he won an award from the Lawyer. Sounds like a pretty effective PR machine. Alternatively, it could also be explained away by the Wayland Smithers type sychophants that this Mr Burns like charachter seems to attract. Whether or not he was the driving force, he’s gone and the vast majority of the firms’ partner wish it so.
relatively big fish in a small pond – the corporate group of what is essentially Rowe and Maw’s London office is the jewel in the crown of the London office but not amongst London firms – firm will survive I am sure but what else does it really excel at: banking, insolvency, property, tax all no; pensions, yes and insurance which is out powered or out boutiqued amongst its competitiors. There is certainly an oldguard of protectionism in the firm from the merger onwards – hence why it isnt really going places. Loyalty comes above capability – perhaps with the world’s “new order” it will do well
Having been a client of this firm, the person I want at my side for sage, salient advice; the person I want when the opposing forces appear stronger than I or when the complex needs to be unscrambled, appears to have been treated without regard to any matter other than disturbed sensibilities and ruffled egos of his purported peers. For those luxuriating in his demise I have a question – are you like the Pope, who would prefer a smaller Church of true believers? Because be assured there is no client loyalty to the brand: the loyalty of clients will follow those who have their trust and respect
He’s certainly gone; as has a large section of Mayer Brown’s corporate business, prestige and a certain number of its lawyer’s.
Great future for Mayer Brown!
re 7.37pm – unfortunately it would appear there is too small a church of clients who think like you do otherwise he would be in the position he wishes to be -Lonon firms are full of lawyers who are at the top of the management tree locally or globally not because of good looks or personality but client base and fee income and then they DRIVE it to the top as the firm cannot afford to lose them. No firm will award or discriminate on management style alone – its about teh bottom line especially in these lean times (especially for corporate lawyers)
Jealousy is a terrible trate, a characteristic that the 6:10 blogger conveys. The blogger who has run out of facts is trying his hand at fiction.
‘Partner of the year’, was it Maher’s only accolade?
This blogger, whos denial has got the better of him is about to be shown up as nothing less than a laughing stock with regard to his take on Maher and his future.
Spelling would not appear to be an important “trait” or characteristic for 8.23pm, “whose” claim seems to be as a partner of MB.
Clearly someone with the kind of Mayer Brown ego that was spoken of; the firm is too good for typos apparently!
I have been a client of MB in general and PM. I have little to say on the debate other than for any business to be this clumsy in the execution a senior management change is very unprofessional; pity you cant short law firms…..yet
great punch-up this..don’t know MB or Maher but he’s always had a high profile in the City and a darling in The Lawyer’s pages. Clearly the guy is a top lawyer. Can’t wait to see where he ends up.
Wow! I had heard that Mayer Brown was not without its internal problems but I highly under-estimated the extremity of this. Clearly Maher is going to be the winner of this battle with the reputation, clients and no doubt increased pay package.
Mayer Brown though, that may well be a different story; I fear for their reputation. Will they survive?
As of Friday he’s gone. kaput. Destination Calabria.
Gone to Greenberg to set up his own shop, oh yeah and with a guaranteed pay package 0f $6million dollars a year for 2 years.