Squire Patton Boggs partner Petrina Hall McDaniel has been appointed Managing Partner of the firm’s Atlanta office. Since launching four years ago, the office has grown to approximately 30 lawyers and earlier this year was recognized as the #1 fastest growing law firm by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
“Atlanta has been a success story for our firm,” said Global Managing Partner, US LLP, Michele Connell. “In a short span we have built a diverse, full-service team that gives our clients in Atlanta and across our global platform access to premiere legal and policy counsel in one of the most vibrant markets in the US.”
Connell continued, “Petrina is a highly respected practitioner and leader both within the firm and in the Atlanta business community. Her expertise and energy will position our office for its next stage of growth. I would like to thank her for accepting the role and Ann-Marie for all she has done to make Atlanta such an integral part of our firm’s offering to clients.”
In addition to now serving as Atlanta Managing Partner, Petrina is co-leader of the firm’s Class Action & Multidistrict Litigation Practice where she represents clients in consumer class actions and bet-the-company litigation with billions of dollars in potential exposure in state and federal courts across the country. She is also recognized in the emerging area of risk mitigation related to ESG reporting and disclosure, including developing compliance and litigation strategies to reduce legal and reputational risks to businesses and their stakeholders. In addition to those roles, Petrina also serves as the Vice-Chair of the firm’s global Advancing Women Task Force, which studies and makes recommendations around the advancement and retention of women lawyers across the firm.
“We have built something special here in Atlanta,” McDaniel said. “I’m excited for this new opportunity and look forward to working with the team to continue our expansion by providing the market with best-in-class, premiere legal services.”
“The diverse team we have in Atlanta makes me incredibly proud.” she continued. “Roughly half of our local lawyers are currently from traditionally underrepresented demographics, including the majority of the partners in our office, which is consistent with the firm’s concerted efforts towards continuing our progress around Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We’ve established a global Office of DEI and will continue to lead and innovate in the DEI space, partnering with our clients to materially increase equity in the legal profession.”
Squire Patton Boggs office opened in 2018 with three partners and has since expanded to include practitioners handling transactional, litigation, labor and employment, international dispute resolution, public policy, financial services and data privacy and cybersecurity, infrastructure and public policy matters for a range of global and domestic clients.
Over the last year, the firm made several notable additions including former United States Ambassador to Luxembourg and jury trial lawyer J. Randolph Evans and a leading team of employment litigation specialists.