Mayer Brown has reappointed Jon Van Gorp for another three-year term as chair, reinforcing its strategic focus on high-revenue practice areas. Van Gorp, who has led the nearly 1,900-lawyer firm since 2021, aims to continue enhancing the firm’s strengths in insurance, capital markets, and international arbitration.
Under Van Gorp’s leadership, Mayer Brown has expanded geographically, including opening a new office in Salt Lake City in 2022 and partnering with a local firm in Singapore. “It’s exciting to continue the process I started three years ago,” Van Gorp said in a statement, emphasizing the firm’s ongoing strategic plan to prioritize its most profitable practice areas.
This announcement comes on the heels of Mayer Brown’s recent decision to separate from its partnership in Hong Kong amid rising US-China tensions. While Van Gorp declined to comment on this separation, the firm indicated that it plans to maintain its presence in the region. Presently, Mayer Brown has 160 lawyers in Hong Kong.
The firm’s significant clients include heavyweights like JP Morgan Chase Co. and Citibank. It is also representing TikTok in its high-profile case to stay operational in the US. Financially, Mayer Brown concluded 2023 with revenue exceeding $1.9 billion and profits per equity partner reaching $2.4 million, showing slight yearly growth.
Like other elite firms such as Davis Polk & Wardwell and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Mayer Brown is also scrutinizing its equity partner compensation strategy amid heightened competitive pressures. Van Gorp noted that the firm is “focused on stretching our equity partner compensation” to stay competitive.
Further details on Van Gorp’s re-election and Mayer Brown’s strategic direction can be found here.