Paul L. Langer featured in article "Now boarding: Lateral hires"
Following is an excerpt:
When Paul Langer joined Quarles & Brady from Proskauer in February, it was not his first lateral move.
Langer started his career as a corporate litigator at McDermott Will & Emery, where he became partner and, in his 12 years there, developed an insurance practice representing policyholders.
In 1998, the practice he had built seemed better suited for Mayer Brown, which he said had a “highly dedicated” policyholder-side insurance group. After 10 years, though, the firm began representing his clients’ opponents, insurers, which created case conflicts and led him and two other partners to open Proskauer’s Chicago office in 2008.
By then, he had switched firms for a number of classic reasons: To be part of a larger practice group. To escape client conflicts. And for the chance to help build something new.
His move in February highlighted another increasingly common reason why partners are moving firms: Billing rate pressures.
“Quarles & Brady is a Midwestern firm with a Midwestern culture, which means that client service comes before the almighty profits per partner,” Langer said. “I was very drawn to that culture.”