Morrison Foerster Announces Leadership Transition

SAN FRANCISCO (June 27, 2022) – Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Eric T. McCrath has been elected by the partners as Chair of the firm. McCrath is a member of Morrison Foerster’s Executive Committee and Compensation Committee, and serves as Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department. McCrath is also a member of Morrison Foerster’s Diversity Strategy Committee and has demonstrated a strong commitment to, and track record on, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He will be the first ethnically diverse Chair in Morrison Foerster’s history.

As Chair, McCrath will play a leading role in setting the strategic direction and priorities for Morrison Foerster while continuing to advise clients on their most challenging and strategic transactions as part of his market-leading M&A practice. He succeeds Larren M. Nashelsky, who has been Chair for the past decade, a period during which Morrison Foerster has thrived and grown into a leading global law firm with 17 offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Nashelsky will remain a partner after his term ends on October 3, 2022.

“I am deeply grateful to my partners for their trust in my leadership. It will be a true privilege to assume my new role as Chair,” said McCrath. "Over the past decade, Larren, working closely with our executive leadership team, has overseen a period of phenomenal success for the firm, driven by the strategic needs of our clients and guided by our values. I feel fortunate to take over from this position of strength. I look forward to building on the firm’s legacy of delivering exceptional results for our clients, continuing on our growth trajectory, and ensuring Morrison Foerster expands client relationships across key industries. We will do so while prioritizing our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and our unique culture of collaboration. I also look forward to keeping my finger on the pulse of our clients’ most strategic matters as part of my continuing M&A practice. I could not be more excited for the weeks, months, and years to come.”

“It has been the greatest honor to serve as Chair of Morrison Foerster for more than a decade," said Nashelsky. "I am deeply proud of what we have achieved collectively for our clients while continuing to build on MoFo’s proud legacy of leadership in diversity and inclusion, pro bono, and community service. I am excited for the years ahead and have no doubt the firm will continue to thrive under Eric's leadership. His impeccable track-record in building a successful global practice and recruiting talent, combined with his proven leadership and strategic vision for the firm, made him the perfect choice. Eric will continue MoFo's growth in an increasingly competitive environment and champion our shared values. I look forward to working closely with Eric over the next several months to ensure a seamless transition."

McCrath joined Morrison Foerster as a partner in 2007 and has held multiple leadership roles at the firm over the past several years. He has been a member of Morrison Foerster’s Executive Committee since 2016, the Compensation Committee since 2019, has served as Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department of over 400 lawyers since 2018, and has also held a number of practice leadership roles. McCrath, a diverse lawyer of Asian heritage, is also one of the longest-standing members of the firm’s Diversity Strategy Committee, having served since 2010.

McCrath has initiated and led many strategic growth initiatives at Morrison Foerster. He played a key role in establishing the firm’s presence in Boston, Miami, and Austin in recent years. McCrath has also spearheaded the significant expansion of Morrison Foerster’s corporate and emerging companies and venture capital capabilities in California since the start of 2022, with the addition of six partners.

McCrath, who has practiced in Japan, New York, and California over the course of his career, has built a best-in-class, global corporate practice, becoming a trusted advisor to clients on hundreds of public and private M&A, private equity, and financing transactions. He counsels strategic acquirers and targets in a variety of industries, including technology (semiconductors, software, AR/VR, FinTech, AI), healthcare, consumer products, financial institutions, media, gaming, and transportation. He represents leading U.S. and global companies on their most complex cross-border transactions.

McCrath earned his B.A. from Swarthmore College and J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Nashelsky was first elected Chair of Morrison Foerster in 2012. Over the past decade, Nashelsky has led the firm to sustained growth, increased profitability, and expansion around the globe. During his tenure as Chair, Morrison Foerster has seen its revenue, Revenue Per Lawyer, Net Income, and Profits per Partner grow significantly. Nashelsky also strategically expanded Morrison Foerster’s footprint in Asia and Europe to serve clients’ increasingly cross-border needs, and in several key U.S. markets. Nashelsky has championed diversity and inclusion, and promoted the firm’s values, including pro bono, earning the firm acclaim as a leader in the profession. Accomplishments and key milestones under Nashelsky’s leadership include:

• Significantly growing the firm’s M&A; Litigation, including IP Litigation; Regulatory, such as Privacy and Antitrust; Investigations & Enforcement; Private Equity/Funds; and Finance capabilities. The firm also deepened its client relationships across key sectors including technology, life sciences and healthcare, and real estate.
• Opening new offices in Singapore in 2013; Berlin in 2013; Boston in 2019; and most recently Austin, at the start of 2022. During Larren’s tenure, the firm also strengthened its multi-practice Latin America Desk by launching a presence in Miami.
• Consolidating and expanding its presence in key geographies, including California, with eight partner additions on the West Coast since the start of 2022 alone; Washington, D.C., which has seen the addition of dozens of lateral partners in the past several years and has become a destination for high-profile senior government officials looking to return to private practice; London, which has seen a complete reboot since 2016, has grown its revenue by 156% over the last five years and seen its headcount more than double; and Tokyo, where the firm has consolidated its status as the largest international law firm in Japan. The firm’s Tokyo office is consistently ranked at the top of Japan practices, including being named the “Japan International Law Advisers of the Year” by Chambers Asia-Pacific for nine of the 10 years the award has been given out.
• Achieving Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees.
• Being a trailblazer in prioritizing mental health and well-being initiatives. In 2021, the firm became the first U.S. law firm to launch a Mental Health Charter, and make a public commitment to “foster(ing) a mentally healthy workplace.”