Preti Flaherty / John Doyle
Preti Flaherty management committee, from left: Rachel Lawrence, Bonnie Martinolich, David Van Slyke (with scissors) and Jason Howe.
July 16, 2024
Looking to 'new generation,' Preti Flaherty promotes 42-year-old litigator to managing partner
Photo / Courtesy, Preti Flaherty
Preti Flaherty has named Michael S. Smith managing partner, effective July 15. He succeeds David Van Slyke, who will resume his role as chair of Preti’s environmental practice group.
Law firm Preti Flaherty has named Michael S. Smith managing partner, effective July 15.
He succeeds David Van Slyke, who will resume his role as chair of the firm's environmental practice group.
Smith previously served as a member of Preti Flaherty’s management committee and as chair of its recruitment committee. He will remain "fully engaged" in his litigation practice, the firm said.
Portland-based Preti Flaherty is Maine's second-largest law firm, according to the 2024 Mainebiz Book of Lists. The firm listed 77 Maine attorneys and 139 total employees in the state. The firm has offices in Augusta, Concord, N.H., Boston and Washington, D.C.
The 'new generation'
The promotion of the 42-year-old Smith signaled "the trust and confidence that our firm has placed in a new generation of partners and directors, many of whom chose to leave other firms to join us here,” said Ken Rubinstein, a member of the management committee member who works from the firm’s Concord and Boston offices.
“My accession to this role and the composition of our management committee reflect a firm that is brimming with energy and ambition and is ready to launch into the next chapter of its storied history,” Smith said.
“We are a top New England law firm thanks to the hard work and accomplishments of colleagues past and present and our relentless focus on bringing novel legal solutions to our clients, which is one aspect of our firm that will never change.”
Van Slyke, who has been with the firm 28 years, served as managing partner since January 2020, overseeing the firm's transition through the pandemic and through a major office renovation.
“David’s steady leadership and unrivaled work ethic have left our firm well-positioned for the coming years. I don’t know of any managing partner who more ably guided their firm through the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Smith. “Preti is thriving, and I look forward to maintaining our momentum.”
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