For two very different guys, Reed Smith’s Greg Jordan and K&L Gates’ Pete Kalis have a lot in common. The two West Virginia natives rose to lead their respective Pittsburgh-based law firms well more than a decade ago and both have recently won unopposed elections to additional terms for the next three and five years, respectively.

That nod from their partnerships is perhaps a sign of thanks for each man’s work in taking their firms from regional presences to global powerhouses — though both Kalis and Jordan are quick to point out it is a team effort and one driven by the requirements of the market during their tenure.