Ropes & Gray Taps Julie Jones for Second Term as Leader (1)

Ropes & Gray has re-elected chair Julie Jones to serve another five-year term in the 1,300-lawyer firm’s top role.

Ropes partner Neill Jakobe will serve a five-year term as vice chair, beginning in January, the firm also said Tuesday. David Djaha, who has been managing partner since 2020, is set to retire at the end of next year.

Jones, an M&A partner who has represented private equity firm TPG Inc. on numerous deals, took the the reins at Ropes & Gray in 2020.

The Boston-founded firm last year brought in nearly $3 billion in revenue and reported $4.5 million in profits per equity partner, according to The American Lawyer. The firm’s revenue was $1.9 billion and profits per equity partner were $2.8 million in 2019, the year prior to Jones’ ascension.

Jakobe is a member of the firm’s management committee. He previously led its Chicago office and was co-head of the firm’s global private equity practice. As vice chair, he will primarily focus on client growth initiatives while maintaining his practice, the firm said in a statement.

“We are excited to build on our momentum, by serving clients in ways that are notably different from our competitors,” Jones said in a statement. “We do that by being a ‘relationship first’ firm, with clients and colleagues alike.”