Sonnenschein Creates Two New Management Roles
September 7, 2006
Law firm names partners for client service and lateral acquisition as it rolls out bold strategic plan
(CHICAGO, September 7, 2006)--Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP announced today that James A. Klenk and Kara S. Baysinger have been named to the new firm-wide management positions of client service partner and lateral acquisition partner, respectively. Both will play a key role in the implementation of the law firm’s ambitious new strategic plan.
Klenk, an 18-year Sonnenschein veteran, most recently was co-managing partner of the Chicago office. In his new role, he will be responsible for integrating the delivery of services to the firm’s clients across practice groups and offices and ensuring resources are available to meet their increasingly complex business needs. Baysinger, who joined the firm eight years ago, will lead a lateral hiring program designed to help Sonnenschein achieve its aggressive growth targets. Based in San Francisco, she also is vice-chair of the firm’s national insurance regulatory practice group.
“Jim is the epitome of a service-oriented lawyer, with an understanding of client needs and how to bring the resources of the entire firm to bear on issues at hand that is truly remarkable. Kara is the quintessential Sonnenschein attorney. Her deep knowledge of the firm--from both a business and cultural perspective--will ensure that we attract the most outstanding candidates available to meet our strategic needs,” said Duane C. Quaini, Sonnenschein chairman. “I can think of no others better qualified to lead these important initiatives.”
“As the issues our clients face become increasingly more challenging, we must be able to assure that all of the appropriate resources are available to our lawyers to help them provide the highest quality service possible,” stated Klenk. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in every practice and in every office to make sure we do everything we can to help our clients prosper and grow.”
Added Baysinger, “Sonnenschein’s new strategic plan calls for growing an even stronger and more diverse talent base by stepping up lateral hiring in those areas where the opportunities are the greatest. At the same time, we will continue to build a culture of inclusion and collaboration to take advantage of the best talents of all who work at the firm.”
Klenk, who joined Sonnenschein in 1988, is a trial lawyer practicing in state and federal courts across the country. He has tried patent, copyright and trademark cases before juries, judges and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The litigations have run from straightforward patent and copyright claims to more novel claims revolving around the protection of data transmissions over broadcaster television signals. He has a special competence in the litigation of reasonable royalties and lost profits for intellectual property intangibles. Klenk regularly represents media companies in libel, privacy and copyright matters.
A Sonnenschein attorney since 1998, Baysinger works with insurers, agents and regulators regarding market conduct, regulatory licensing and approvals, corporate transactions and reinsurance, as well as product and market development. She represents national insurance and reinsurance companies, insurance-related service companies and state governments, and has served on numerous state and National Association of Insurance Commissioners advisory boards. She has nine years of in-house insurance company experience, most recently as the corporate officer responsible for legal and regulatory matters.
Klenk received a J.D. degree, Order of the Coif, from the University of Wisconsin School of Law, where he was articles editor for the Wisconsin Law Review, and a B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from Beloit College. Baysinger earned a J.D. degree from the Loyola University School of Law and a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan.
Sonnenschein, with more than 700 attorneys and other professionals in 10 U.S. cities and a global reach, serves the legal needs of many of the world’s largest and best-known businesses, nonprofits and individuals. For more information, visit www.sonnenschein.com.
Media Contact:
Linda Butler
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
(312) 876-3453
LButler@sonnenschein.com
