Brown Rudnick has elected New York-based tax partner Vincent Guglielmotti as its next chief executive officer and chair of the firm’s management committee, succeeding William Baldiga. 

Guglielmotti assumes the role effective immediately as Baldiga’s three-year term comes to an end this month. Baldiga, who has led the firm since 2019, will return to his restructuring practice full-time in the firm’s Boston headquarters upon stepping down. 

In his nearly 40-year tenure at Brown Rudnick, Baldiga has served in a handful of other leadership roles including as head of the firm’s litigation and restructuring practice. He called Guglielmotti a “natural leader”, adding that the future of the firm was in “good hands” with Guglielmotti at the helm.

Baldiga said: “In the last several years, Vince has demonstrated a keen insight as to what it takes to lead the firm and his practices to the highest levels, and to compete on a global basis. He instills confidence in others, inspires the best in those around him and is completely dedicated to the success of the firm.”

At 41, Guglielmotti is Brown Rudnick’s youngest ever CEO. He became a partner in 2013 and previously led the firm’s corporate and capital markets department from the New York office. In his new role, Guglielmotti will continue his tax practice, which covers M&A and Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, among other matters. 

The leadership change comes amid ongoing international attention for Brown Rudnick concerning its work for actor Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard – a litigation team led by Ben Chew won a $15m jury verdict in Depp’s favour on 1 June. 

The result led to the fast-tracked promotion of California-based litigator Camille Vasquez, who was elevated to the partnership after playing a key role in securing the verdict for Depp. 

Other significant representations undertaken by the firm recently include the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy proceedings and market data solutions provider MayStreet’s sale to the London Stock Exchange Group. 

Brown Rudnick posted nearly $229m in gross revenue and profits per equity partner of $1.3m in 2021, according to figures from the American Lawyer. The Boston-based firm has six offices in the US and two international locations in London and Paris.