Irell Elects First African American Managing Partner

Irell & Manella LLP has elected Ellisen S. Turner as the firm’s managing partner. Turner, a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office who is the hiring chair and an executive committee member, is Irell’s first African-American managing partner.

He will succeed Andrei Iancu who is completing his second three-year term, which is the maximum allowed tenure. Iancu has been nominated to become Patent and Trademark Office director.

Turner, 41, said he plans to continue practicing in the firm’s litigation and intellectual property practice groups. This includes his focus on patent litigation as well as inter partes review and other ...