Partners Melissa M. Root and Anthony S. Barkow Elevated to Leadership Positions
CHICAGO & NEW YORK – February 3, 2022 Melissa M. Root is the new Managing Partner of Jenner & Block’s Chicago office and Anthony S. Barkow will take the helm of the New York office on April 1, the firm announced today.
“Melissa and Tony will be instrumental in guiding strategic growth in two of our key offices. We are delighted to elevate them to these important leadership positions,” Jenner & Block Co-Managing Partners Katya Jestin and Randy Mehrberg said in a joint statement.
Ms. Root, who joined Jenner & Block in 2005, is the first managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office, which is home to more than 330 lawyers. She is a co-chair of the firm’s Restructuring and Bankruptcy Practice and a 2021 inductee into the American College of Bankruptcy. She represents the official committee of government retirees in Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy, and also serves as counsel to USA Gymnastics. She is a member of the firm’s Management Committee, a co-chair of the Women’s Forum affinity group, and a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Her appointment took effect February 1.
Mr. Barkow is a co-chair of the firm’s Investigations, Compliance and Defense Practice, representing companies and executives in global and national criminal and regulatory investigations. He also conducts internal investigations, counsels company executives on enforcement and compliance issues, and serves as a corporate monitor. He joined Jenner & Block in 2012. He previously served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York and for the District of Columbia, and at the US Department of Justice. His appointment takes effect April 1.
Mr. Barkow takes over from Susan J. Kohlmann, who has led the firm’s 73-lawyer New York office since 2016. Ms. Kohlmann has been nominated to be the 70th president of the New York City Bar Association after its annual meeting in May.
Jenner & Block, which opened an office in San Francisco last year, also has offices in Washington, DC, London, and Los Angeles.
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