Howard Rice Elects New Managing Director and Chair

For Immediate Release:

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San Francisco, CA — February 18, 2009 — Howard Rice today announced that Douglas A. Winthrop was elected Managing Director and Chair. The firm also announced that Executive Director Michelle L. Johnson will assume the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer.

“We are extremely lucky to have an individual as talented, successful and committed to the firm as Doug,” said Larry Rabkin, who has been Managing Director and Chair since October 2005 and who will become Chair Emeritus. “The same skills that make him a sought-after attorney – excellent judgment, the ability to communicate effectively and a keen sense for reading people – put him in good stead to lead our firm into the future.”

While Doug will focus on developing annual and long-term strategic goals and chairing the Management Committee, Michelle will be primarily responsible for day-to-day operations. The firm’s decision to expand Michelle’s role to Chief Executive Officer is a unique solution to the challenge that many law firm leaders face when trying to balance the time-consuming responsibilities of a significant management position with maintaining and expanding an active practice.

“These are challenging times for law firms, and we have been thoughtful and strategic about ensuring the current strength and future success of our firm,” said Doug. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Michelle to continue building on the great work that Larry and the other former Managing Directors have done. Howard Rice is a great firm. We plan to make it a stronger and even better firm.”

Douglas A. Winthrop is managing director and chair of the firm, chair of the Litigation Department and serves on the firm’s Management Committee. Mr. Winthrop, a former United States Supreme Court law clerk, focuses his commercial litigation practice on business torts, unfair competition and intellectual property in state and federal courts. With extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, Doug counts among his clients the United States Olympic Committee, PMI Mortgage Insurance Co., Samsung Semiconductor and Beverages & more! He earned an A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard University and received his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. Prior to clerking for Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, he clerked for Judge Patricia Wald of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Doug is active in both legal and civic organizations, serving on the Board of Directors of the California Bar Foundation and Jewish Family & Children’s Services of San Francisco.

Michelle L. Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Howard Rice and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Michelle joined Howard Rice in 2005 as Executive Director. Prior to joining Howard Rice, Michelle was with Thelen. After joining Thelen as a corporate associate in 1986, she was promoted partner in 1992 and became the firm’s Executive Director in 2001. Michelle earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley and her J.D. from Denver University College of Law (where she was a member of the Order of St. Ives honor society). 

Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin P.C. is a San Francisco-based law firm with leading national and international practices, representing entities and individuals across a comprehensive range of practice areas. Our clients are among the most sophisticated consumers of legal services and include: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.; Beverages & more!; The Charles Schwab Corporation; Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.; Digital River, Inc.; First Republic Bank; Genentech, Inc.; Google, Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Co.; The Oakland Raiders; Sony Online Entertainment; United States Olympic Committee; and Wells Fargo & Company.