Kilpatrick Names IP Partner Kadaba as Firm’s New Chair-Elect

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton has named Wab Kadaba as the firm’s new chair-elect, after more than 11 years as chair of its intellectual property department.

Kadaba will succeed Henry Walker on July 1. Walker, who was elected managing partner in 2012 and became chair the following year, will resume his full-time practice as a partner with Kilpatrick’s complex commercial litigation team.

“I am proud of what we have accomplished and very excited about the direction of the firm,” said Walker in a firm statement. “Wab is incredibly smart, strategic, and good with people. He knows our firm as well or better than anyone.”

Wab Kadaba

Kilpatrick has been on a growth kick in 2024, including a combination with HMB Legal that added more than 55 lawyers to the firm in Chicago. The deal took effect March 1.

Kadaba, who joined Kilpatrick as an associate in 2000 and is based in Atlanta, is an IP litigator and also advises on IP strategy, management and technology.

His clients have included Facebook Inc. (now Meta), Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Twitter Inc. (now X), according to Bloomberg Law dockets.

Under Walker’s leadership, Kilpatrick expanded into Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, Shanghai, and Beijing.

Kadaba said in an interview that the firm isn’t in any current discussions for additional combinations like HMB, but held out the possibility that more mergers like that one could occur. “It’s certainly a model we like,” he said.

He added that the firm would consider expanding into additional new cities during his four-year term, but it might be more likely that at least initially, the firm would be bulking up existing offices and practices. The firm has 20 offices throughout the US, according to its website, and another four overseas, including Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, and Stockholm, Sweden.

Kadaba said his primary focus as chair managing and leading the firm—in part through trips to many of the firm’s outposts—though he also will maintain relationships with certain clients, he said.

Kilpatrick earned $520 million in gross revenue in 2022, making it the 90th-largest firm, according to American Lawyer’s 2023 survey. The firm boasted profits per equity partner of just over $1.3 million that year, the survey found. Kilpatrick is up to 670 lawyers, Kadaba said.

Kadaba, who’s been with Kilpatrick since 2000, said he’s effectively “grown up” with the firm. “I’m excited to see where it’s headed.”