Burns White today announced changes to its C-Suite leadership team, naming Mary-Jo Rebelo Chief Executive Officer, Lyle D. Washowich Chief Operating Officer (Western Region), and electing Robert E. Dapper, Jr. to the firm’s Executive Committee. David B. White, who served as CEO and navigated the firm through the challenges of 2020, stepped down from the position on January 1, 2021, and continues to manage his robust mediation and arbitration practice.
“When I became CEO a year ago, my goal was to serve in the role for three years to establish a solid and effective leadership structure for the future,” notes Mr. White. “We had been governed effectively and successfully by an Executive Committee for 33 years, but with our growth as a regional law firm, we felt we needed to have our management become more streamlined. We anticipated being able to ease into this leadership structure. However, the unexpected and unique challenges of COVID-19 put the effectiveness of our new leadership structure to the test sooner than anyone anticipated. I am pleased to say that, with our new structure, we have successfully navigated through these unprecedented challenges. Ultimately, it proved that our C-Suite structure was sound, and served the best interests of our clients and employees. Throughout the process, Mary-Jo demonstrated incredible leadership and was the clear choice to be my successor. I have incredible confidence in her vision to carry our firm into the future.”
“I am truly honored to be elected by my colleagues to the CEO role,” states Ms. Rebelo. “While the last year certainly has been challenging, it has also reinforced the resilience of this firm, and the strong spirit of its people. Dave has laid a solid foundation upon which to build, and I look forward to expanding and strengthening client relationships and advancing the firm’s initiatives moving forward.”
Ms. Rebelo, who joined Burns White in 2018 and is Member and the co-chair of both the firm’s Employment Practices Liability and Complex and Commercial Litigation practice groups and a senior member of the Business Practices and Litigation group, most recently served as Chief Operating Officer (Western Region). Lyle D. Washowich was elected to the COO position to oversee the firm’s daily operations for Burns White’s Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Wheeling offices. Mr. Washowich is a Member and the co-chair of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services, Complex and Commercial Litigation, and Cybersecurity practice groups. Jeffrey S. Adler remains the Chief Operating Officer (Eastern Region), managing the firm’s Conshohocken, Center City, Wilkes-Barre, Cherry Hill, New York, and Wilmington offices. David A. Damico continues to serve as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer.
Robert E. Dapper, Jr. was elected to the firm’s Executive Committee, joining David A. Damico, T.H. Lyda, William J. Mundy, D. Scott Newman, and Stuart T. O’Neal. Mr. Dapper, who joined Burns White in 2016, serves as the co-chair of both the Insurance Coverage and Extracontractual Litigation and the Transportation and Logistic practice groups.