Lewitt, Hackman, Shapiro, Marshall & Harlan has named a new practice group leader and elevated one of its attorneys to shareholder.
Shareholder Nicholas Kanter was earlier this month made chair of the firm’s business litigation practice group. Meanwhile, employment law attorney Tal Burnovski Yeyni was made a shareholder for the firm. Managing shareholder Keith Zimmet noted that an elevation to shareholder amounted to a long-term leadership role in the mid-size firm.
Lewitt Hackman does not publicly disclose who are equity or nonequity shareholders.
Kanter, who joined the firm in 2005, has focused on employment and real estate litigation throughout his career. Zimmet said Kanter’s experience and tenure give him the demeanor for leadership.
“In terms of this particular position, he has a calm demeanor and the ability to build a shared consensus,” he added. “We have about 20 or so litigators here in various practices and I thought he was an excellent person to work with that diverse group of practices and people.”
Kanter said he relished a leadership role as the firm positioned itself to take on more complex cases.
“I intend to build on our past and guide our litigation practice into the future through innovative technological advancements to improve efficiencies in litigation that will be of great benefit to our clients and our firm,” he said in a statement. “I also intend to have our more senior litigators, including myself, continue to mentor junior litigators so they develop the litigation skills necessary to better serve our clients and to further their careers.”
Yeyni, who joined in 2015, handles employer risk reduction and compliance matters.
“I am very fortunate that throughout my career as an attorney, in Israel and California, I worked with amazing colleagues and mentors,” she said in a statement. “I have been with Lewitt Hackman for nine years and appreciate the invaluable support from my colleagues here.”
Zimmet said Yeyni had checked off all of the boxes for leadership at the firm.
“She’s shown an ability to generate business and maintain client relationships,” he said. “That’s a big thing that we look for when we look for someone to promote to shareholder.”