Snell & Wilmer’s Dawson Becomes One of Few Women Law Firm Chairs

Snell & Wilmer named three-decade veteran Barbara Dawson as chair, making her one of a few women to hold the post in the U.S.

Dawson, an investigations and litigation lawyer and a member of the executive and compensation committees, will start her new role in April 2023, the firm, one of the largest in the U.S. West, said in a statement.

She replaces Matthew Feeney, who led the firm’s recent expansion efforts. He became chair in 2015 and steps down from that job next year to continue to practice law at the firm.

Snell & Wilmer, which had $283.5 million in revenue in 2020, was 115th on the American Lawyer’s 2021 Am Law 200 ranking. The firm has more than 400 lawyers in 16 U.S. locations.

The firm’s clients have included Bank of America Corp., Ford Motor Co., the Mayo Clinic, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Tucson Airport Authority.

Dawson said Snell & Wilmer, which has opened offices in California, Oregon and Texas in recent years, will continue its expansion “where we see a rise in litigation and business opportunities.”

“I anticipate continuation of a path forward on growth and development throughout the West,” she said in an interview. Real estate, intellectual property and financial services also have been strong areas for the firm, she said.

Dawson, a partner in the Phoenix and Washington offices, headed the commercial litigation practice and the international group. She works with Fortune 500 clients on internal investigations, complex litigation and regulatory compliance, the firm said.

Snell & Wilmer’s executive committee unanimously chose her for the new post, the statement said.

The firm, which has an election law practice, has represented the Republican Party in Arizona. In November 2020, it withdrew as counsel of record for the Republican National Committee in a case alleging that Maricopa County had incorrectly rejected some votes in the 2020 election.

Dawson said the firm does not comment on its clients.