Law360 Highlights the Size and Diversity of Faegre Drinker’s 2022 Partner Class

In the article, “Faegre Drinker Names 28 Attys As 2022 Partners,” Law360 reported on the firm’s 28 partner promotions for 2022, highlighting the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The 2022 partner class is spread across nine offices, boosts several of the firm’s practice areas and more than half reflect diversity in terms of race and gender. The full article is reprinted with permission from Law360 below.

Faegre Drinker Names 28 Attys As 2022 Partners

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has promoted 28 counsel and associate attorneys to partner positions in 11 practices, the firm said this week.

The promotions, confirmed by Faegre Drinker’s current partners, will take effect Jan. 1, the firm announced Monday. Firm co-chairs Andrew Kassner and Tom Froehle said in a statement the 2022 class reflected the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“These promotions are not only a reflection of our new partners’ commitment to excellence but also an important building block for the firm’s future,” they said. “Their collaborative spirit and relentless client focus exemplify what it means to be a partner at Faegre Drinker and we are proud to welcome these outstanding attorneys to our partnership.”

Faegre Drinker was created by the merger of Drinker Biddle & Reath and Faegre Baker Daniels in 2019. The combined firm’s first promoted partner class in 2020 included 17 attorneys, two of them based in Faegre Drinker’s London office.

The 2022 partner class is spread across nine offices; 18 of the 28 are based in the firm’s Minneapolis, Chicago or Indianapolis offices.

The promotions boosted several of the firm’s practice areas. Anne Fischesser, Remy Nshimiyimana, Ryan Woessner and Brittney Yocum are members of the corporate practice, and Joshua Busch, Elizabeth Christen, Traci McKee and Rachael Dettman Spiegel work in the product liability and mass torts group. In Wilmington, Kaitlin McKenzie handles insurance work while Thatcher Rahmeier practices in the intellectual property arena.

Nshimiyimana told Law360 Pulse on Wednesday he was a first-generation immigrant and saw his promotion as a tremendous opportunity.

“The strong inclusive culture and the amazing colleagues I get to work with every day to support our clients make this the right place for me to continue to develop my practice as a transactional business attorney,” he said. “As someone who started at the firm right after law school, I have strongly benefited from the firm’s strong training program, generous mentors and sponsors and clients willing to trust me with important matters.”

Spiegel, whose practice focuses on food and agribusiness, told Law360 Pulse, “It is truly a privilege to work alongside incredible clients and a brilliant and supportive team of food lawyers. I am excited for the challenging yet fulfilling work ahead as a new partner and look forward to helping grow our exceptional food practice.”

Christen told Law360 Pulse Wednesday she was looking forward to continuing her practice as a partner.

“I’ve been lucky to have incredible mentors along the way, and I’m grateful to Faegre Drinker for promoting a culture that provides an abundance of opportunities for the up-and-coming women trial attorneys like me,” she said. “I’m excited to continue partnering with our product and manufacturing clients to devise innovative and efficient solutions to their litigation needs.”

 Half of the new partners are women. Five identify as part of a racial or ethnic minority, the firm said.

Faegre Drinker has participated in the Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule program since its inception in 2017, a program that analyzes firms’ hiring process to determine if they are considering a diversity of candidates.

To earn a Mansfield certification, firms must consider at least 30% women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ or attorneys with disabilities as candidates for leadership roles, the firm said. Faegre Drinker was also recognized for reaching 30% representation in those roles.

Lauren Barron, who works in Faegre Drinker’s private client group in Minneapolis, said the firm was in tune with supporting diverse groups.

“Faegre Drinker knows how to support and promote women,” she said. “I am deeply grateful to colleagues and firm leaders who have encouraged my professional growth while accommodating personal demands on my free time every step of the way.”