Baumer To Go Solo as Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s New Chief Exec

Steve Baumer will take over as Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s new chief executive officer next year as the firm moves to a single-leader structure.

The St. Louis-based corporate and M&A partner currently serves as co-chair with partner Lisa Mayhew, who works out of the firm’s London office. Baumer and Mayhew had helped steer the firm through the period after the transnational merger occurred in 2018, combining Bryan Cave with London-based Berwin Leighton Paisner.

The change follows recent news of growth at BCLP, including the opening of a Seattle office and the poaching of a 15-lawyer IP and corporate team from Dentons.

Baumer has been a co-chair at the firm since 2020. Prior to that, he led the firm’s global transactions practice.

He has counseled clients in a number of industries including manufacturing, health care, tech, and agriculture, according to his firm website bio. They’ve included Energizer Holdings Inc., Monsanto Co., Express Scripts Holding Co., and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., according to his LinkedIn page. His work for these and other clients has included M&A and cross-border activities, and investments and divestitures.

Baumer has been involved with firm clients while serving as co-chair, but he does not maintain an active practice, a BCLP spokesman said. That will continue while he serves as CEO, he said.

“I look forward to working with our talented partners and colleagues to build upon our culture of collaboration, leveraging the investments we made in our global platform and growth engines to help our clients with the challenges and opportunities that matter the most,” said Baumer in a statement released by the firm.

Mayhew, who will finish her second leadership term at the end of 2023, was not eligible for the new CEO role because she was termed out, a BCLP spokesman said.

“The foundation for the firm’s continued growth is firmly in place,” said Mayhew in the statement. “Steve has the experience, the drive and the team spirit to take us to the next level.”

BCLP has more than 30 offices throughout the U.S., Europe, and in Asia and the Middle East, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and Tel Aviv.