Partner Mark Lezama set to lead firmwide Diversity Committee while Mitchell Hadley assumes leadership of New York office
IRVINE, Calif. and NEW YORK, July 29, 2024 –Knobbe Martens is pleased to announce new leaders for the firm’s Diversity Committee and New York office. Mark Lezama, a litigation partner in the firm’s Irvine, CA office will be taking on the role as chair of the firmwide Diversity Committee. In New York, partner Mitchell Hadley has been named managing partner of that office.
An established leader within the legal community, Mr. Lezama is President of the Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law, an organization committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within the Orange County legal community.
Mr. Lezama has served for years on the firm’s Diversity Committee. Alongside Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer Terra Davis, the Committee is responsible for guiding Knobbe Martens’ overall diversity strategy and advancing efforts around equity and inclusiveness, including work with eight affinity groups across the firm. Among other diversity-focused distinctions, earlier this month Knobbe Martens was again named among the top five most diverse midsize firms across multiple categories in Law360’s annual Diversity Snapshot.
Mitchell Hadley has taken on the role of Managing Partner of the New York office which has over two dozen attorneys. Mr. Hadley joined the firm a decade ago, and has been based in the New York office since its launch in 2017. He maintains a practice focused on assisting clients develop and manage strategic IP portfolios. Within the firm, Mr. Hadley serves on multiple firm committees and is a sought-after mentor for associates in the New York office.
The appointments of Messrs. Lezama and Hadley to leadership roles follow the appointment earlier this year of Seattle partner Christie Matthaei as chair of the firm’s Recruiting Committee.
Commenting on these leadership moves at the firm, Knobbe Martens managing partner Steven Nataupsky said, “Mark has been a stalwart champion for diversity, equity and inclusion in our profession and will be a great asset to the firm in this position. Mitch has shown a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of talent in New York while building a strong practice, and is an ideal fit for this role. Along with Christie Matthaei in her new role as chair of our Recruiting Committee, these lawyers represent the next generation of diverse leadership across our firm. I am excited for them to take on these important positions.”
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens is one of the most highly respected intellectual property law firms, offering all aspects of intellectual property and technology law. The firm’s litigation group handles cases throughout the U.S. and coordinates strategy for disputes worldwide. Founded in California in 1962, the firm has about 300 lawyers and scientists based in offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse international client base, from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
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