Flaster Greenberg PC said Tuesday it selected Jordan LaVine and Steven Poulathas as co-managing shareholders to succeed Alan Zuckerman in leading the firm, effective Jan. 1, 2021.
The pair are the first co-managing shareholders in the firm’s nearly five-decade history.
Zuckerman will resume his full-time practice at the firm and will serve as chairman of the board of directors after a four-year term at its helm.
The three have collaborated this year to ensure a smooth transition prior to the upcoming four-year term. Zuckerman recommended LaVine and Poulathas as his successors earlier in 2020, and the board voted unanimously to finalize their selection.
“Both Jordan and Steve, longtime members of the firm, bring leadership and forward-thinking skills to the table, each successfully leading their practice groups for a number of years and actively serving on the board of directors,” said Zuckerman in a prepared statement. “The two will complement each other well because they not only each bring a different perspective to the position, but they also will be able to alternate responsibilities and collaborate on ideas and firm initiatives.
“Their demonstrated commitment to the firm’s values, core competencies, and diversity and inclusion efforts will help continue to drive our firm forward for years to come,” he said.
LaVine became a shareholder at Flaster Greenberg in 2006. He leads the firm’s trademark practice and serves as chair of the intellectual property department. He also serves on the firm’s board of directors.
He served as a business development mentor to the firm’s associates for 10 years and currently chairs the its lateral hiring committee. LaVine has also played a critical role in the resurgence of the firm’s Philadelphia presence.
[W]e have tremendous shoes to fill, but Steve and I are looking forward to the challenge.— Jordan LaVine
“Stepping into this role comes at an exciting time for the firm, as we continue to dedicate ourselves not only to professional excellence but also to the reinforcement of the firm’s core values, as well as our reputation as a formidable organization that continues to attract superior talent,” said LaVine in a prepared statement.
“We have been very strategic and fortunate with our growth, and I look forward to collaborating with Steve during the firm’s next chapter. Alan has worked tirelessly over the past four years strengthening our firm. He’s done a tremendous job and he’s led us to a really good place – we have tremendous shoes to fill, but Steve and I are looking forward to the challenge,” LaVine said.
Poulathas joined Flaster Greenberg in 2008 and was elected to shareholder in 2012; he chairs the firm’s corporate department and serves on its board of directors. Under Poulathas, the corporate department has grown in both revenue and in bench strength. He works out of the firm’s Cherry Hill office.
“Having roots in South Jersey but enjoying multi-state growth through lateral movement and geographic expansion certainly warrants the decision to introduce the concept of co-managing shareholders, and I think it will serve the firm well across all platforms,” said Poulathas.
“Our firm has been steering toward transitioning leadership roles to the next generation in a planned and cohesive manner, and we’re seeing evidence of that. In just four short years, Alan has achieved a level of status and success for our firm that we had been aiming for. His vision of recruiting the most talented, knowledgeable and driven attorneys has manifested. I look forward to partnering with Jordan on the continuation of the firm’s innovations and driving growth across industries,” he said.
During Zuckerman’s four-year tenure, Flaster Greenberg added 29 new attorneys to its bench, including an eight-member patent group in Philadelphia, and six-member insurance recovery group in Philadelphia and Boca Raton, Fla., as well as the acquisition of a six-attorney estate planning boutique law firm in Conshohocken, Pa.
Several notable lateral hires joined the firm’s Cherry Hill office, including corporate attorney and former Moorestown Mayor Christopher Chiacchio. And, Flaster Greenberg opened new offices in Conshohocken and Jenkintown, Pa.; Boca Raton, Fla; and Princeton.
Lateral hiring activity during Zuckerman’s term resulted in the addition of several new practice areas and industry groups including an aviation practice, an elder and disability law practice, a cannabis practice, and a PFAS practice; as well as the formalization of the pharmaceutical law practice.
LaVine and Poulathas will step down from their respective department chair positions upon formally transitioning to their co-managing roles. Replacements will be announced later this year.