Overview
(November 8, 2021, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson's partners have elected Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar as chair of its executive committee effective January 1, 2022. Renigar succeeds Philip "Phil" West who is returning full-time to his tax practice after completing his eight-year tenure as chair and growing Steptoe's global footprint, practices, and performance. Partner Alfred Mamlet has been elected as vice chair.
Renigar, a litigation partner in the Washington, DC, office, currently serves as Steptoe's vice chair (since 2018) and general counsel (since 2016) and is the first woman and youngest partner to lead the firm. Renigar brings a new perspective enhanced by her management experience and professional liability practice. She understands the opportunities and challenges facing law firms, having advised them as clients on issues such as professional responsibility, policy setting, and talent management. Born and raised outside the United States, Renigar has an international perspective that complements and reinforces the firm’s international practices and footprint.
Said West, "Gwen has worked closely with me to keep our firm focused and thriving during the pandemic. She will build on what we’ve achieved so far and keep us moving forward. Her commitment to our clients and our firm, and her knowledge of the industry make Gwen an ideal leader for Steptoe’s future."
Renigar commented, "For the last eight years Phil has put our clients and talent first and he has led the firm through a period of tremendous change. Under his leadership, we have been fortunate to deliver year-over-year growth, launch new practice groups and industry teams, and expand client relationships. As I step into this role, I cannot thank him enough for all he has done for the firm and its clients. I am equally thankful to Alfred for sharing my vision and joining me to continue the firm’s progress. I am honored to carry forward the best of Steptoe."
Mamlet is a strategic advisor to satellite company CEOs, GCs and other executives, where his deep industry knowledge leads to a broad range of work across regulatory, transactional and litigation matters. In addition to growing a robust telecommunications practice, Mamlet has led Steptoe’s lateral growth and strategic initiatives for a number of years, bringing 25 partners into the firm in the last two years alone, and building an intellectual property practice recognized as one of Steptoe’s most successful groups.
Mamlet remarked: "Our combination of lawyers, some who have been with Steptoe for their entire professional careers and others who have joined more recently, choose the firm every day for its combination of collegiality, extraordinary client service, and world-class practices. I look forward to continuing our growth, developing our talent, and managing our financial performance."
About Gwen Renigar
Renigar focuses her practice on professional liability and fiduciary counseling and litigation. She represents law firms, healthcare industry participants, financial services providers, professionals, and even a government corporation, in litigation raising breach of fiduciary duty, commercial contract, malpractice, and professional liability claims, as well as in regulatory and internal investigations. Renigar also counsels law firms, employees and employers on risk management, loss prevention, policy setting and implementation, firm management, and personnel transition. Renigar received her law degree from Harvard Law School, and her undergraduate degree from Princeton University. She lives in the Washington area with her husband and two young children.
About Alfred Mamlet
Mamlet built and led the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, creating a team that has become one of the firm’s most successful. He currently focuses his practice on telecommunications, representing satellite operators and other technology companies on regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters. On the transactional side of his practice, Mamlet has handled more than 20 M&A transactions, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, and distribution and other complex commercial agreements. His recent litigation matters include obtaining more than $50 million in a commercial arbitration for Inmarsat, and prevailing in a jury trial for Artel in which the client was awarded punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Mamlet obtained his law degree from the UC Berkeley School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Pomona College. He lives in the Washington area with his wife, and is the proud father of three children.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
The diversity of the firm's leadership is reflected across the firm. The majority of Steptoe's nine offices are managed by women; the majority of Steptoe’s practice groups have women as leaders; the firm’s fourteen-person elected compensation committee includes six women; and the firm's nine-person elected executive committee includes three women. The firm's eight-person professional business services leadership is equally diverse, with half the c-suite made up of women, including three women of color, and other leaders who openly identify as LGBTQ+.
