Kaye Scholer announced a leadership shake-up last week that would have a Chicago-based restructuring lawyer, Michael Solow, taking over for Barry Willner, the longtime managing partner, upon his retirement. Solow, whose practice largely focuses on representing creditors in restructurings, will become co-managing partner of the 470-lawyer firm with Willner. Solow and Stephen Gliatta, co-chair of the firm’s real estate department in New York, will also become co-chairs of the firm’s executive committee with Willner.
Willner said the addition of the two partners to the firm’s management was part of a generational handover. Willner, who joined the 10-member executive committee in 1996, was long ago exempted from the maximum of six years’ service. But Willner, 62, is now approaching the firm’s mandatory retirement age of 68. “We’re obviously transitioning to a younger generation,” he said. “It’s a process that will take place over the next several years.” Both Solow and Gliatta are 51.
