Jones Day’s Chief to Step Down; Successor Named

Richard W. Pogue, who helped pioneer the movement of U.S. law firms into global markets, will step down as head of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, one of the nation’s biggest law firms.

Effective Jan. 1, the firm’s senior partner, Patrick F. McCartan, will take the top seat from Pogue, who has been managing partner since 1984.

Pogue, who chose McCartan as his successor, will reach the firm’s retirement age of 65 next year.

“Pat symbolizes quality, integrity, determination and success,” Pogue said. As managing partner, Pogue picked partners, set lawyers’ salaries and oversaw the 2,900 employees in 20 offices from New York to Taipei.

Under Pogue, Jones Day was one of the first traditional domestic firms to adopt a global strategy by acquiring an international firm in 1986 and using it as a stepping stone to Europe.

McCartan, 58, gained prominence as a corporate trial lawyer in the 1980s and has been on the National Law Journal’s list of most influential lawyers three times.

McCartan said he plans to continue Pogue’s policy of fighting a Resolution Trust Corp. lawsuit in connection with the firm’s work for Lincoln Savings & Loan Assn., the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Earlier this year, Jones Day agreed to pay $24 million to settle investor fraud claims stemming from the collapse of Lincoln Savings. The firm had helped prepare the thrift for a review by federal regulators. A related suit filed by the RTC is still pending.

McCartan joined Jones Day in 1960 to practice corporate law after being graduated with top honors from the University of Notre Dame law school.