Top 50 US firm Winston & Strawn has named four partners who will serve in newly-created senior leadership roles alongside chair elect Steve D’Amore. 

London-based Peter Crowther will serve as managing partner for international affairs, while Los Angeles-based Eva Davis will serve as managing partner for external affairs and Dom DeChiara, who works out of New York, has been named chief strategic officer. 

The appointments are rounded out by Cardelle Spangler, who is based in Chicago and will serve as managing partner for internal affairs. 

The quartet will work closely with D’Amore to implement aspects of Winston’s growth including client relations and business development; finance, technology, and innovation; international expansion; and talent acquisition and retention. 

They will maintain an active legal practice in addition to their new responsibilities, Winston said. All are members of the firm’s executive committee except DeChiara, who is a former member. 

“These four partners form a robust, multifaceted team with proven firm leadership experience,” D’Amore said. “Representing a broad cross section of practice areas and geographies, they bring diversity in perspectives that will further Winston’s growth trajectory.”

Crowther joined Winston in 2012 from legacy Dewey & LeBoeuf and is a former managing partner of Winston’s London office. A competition and regulatory lawyer, he has worked on a number of cartel cases and associated litigation as well as complex merger clearances and has particular experience in complex EU law and regulatory matters. 

Meantime Davis joined Winston nearly a decade ago from Kirkland & Ellis and advises private equity funds on M&A and debt and equity financing transactions. She is currently chair of Winston’s global transactions department.

DeChiara is former chair of Winston’s global transactions department and focuses his practice on private equity, M&A, corporate finance and general corporate matters. He has been at Winston since 2009, having joined from Nixon Peabody where he chaired the private equity practice. 

Finally Spangler is a veteran of Winston of more than 25 years and is currently managing partner of the firm’s Chicago headquarters. An employment litigator and advisor, she concentrates on employment relations litigation, sensitive investigations and counselling matters.

“I cannot think of a better leadership team to work with Steve,” said Winston chair Tom Fitzgerald. “Every chair needs a cadre of top advisors, and Eva, Cardelle, Peter and Dom are excellent choices for their expanded roles. In collaboration with Steve, they will enable Winston to provide excellence in all areas.”

D’Amore will succeed Fitzgerald as chair of the 900-lawyer firm in June 2024. 

For his part Fitzgerald took over as Winston’s managing partner in 2006, becoming chair in 2017 after the firm reorganised its leadership structure. During his tenure Winston has doubled its revenue to more than $1bn and grown its global office network to 16, including in Miami, where it opened last year. 

In 2022 the firm, which alongside its litigation clout is noted by legal directory Chambers and Partners for its growing strength in private equity, reached revenue of $1.15bn against profits per equity partner of $3.1m.