Sheppard Mullin Hires Kate Cain As Chief Knowledge And Innovation Officer, Elevates Keri Gavin To Chief Financial Officer
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Kate Cain has joined the firm as Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer (CKIO). Additionally, Chief Practice Management Officer Keri Gavin has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
“I am delighted that these highly experienced managers will be helping to lead Sheppard Mullin into the future,” said Luca Salvi, Chair of Sheppard Mullin. “Kate and Keri are responsible for key, strategic functions for the firm that are crucial to our continued growth and success.”
As CKIO, Cain focuses on the development and execution of firmwide data, knowledge management and practice innovation strategies which includes the integration of artificial intelligence technologies. She leads multi-disciplinary teams responsible for delivering legal research and business intelligence, eDiscovery and litigation support services, and innovative solutions to support both the practice and the business of law.
Cain brings more than two decades of legal technology experience at international law firms including senior leadership roles at Fenwick & West, Sidley Austin, Winston & Strawn and Kirkland & Ellis. In addition, she played a key role at Foundation Software Group (now part of Litera) where she led product design and innovation efforts. The combination of her law firm and vendor experience provides Cain with a unique perspective to lead her teams to drive efficiencies, enhance client service and deliver results.
As CFO, Gavin works closely with firm management to help the firm meet its financial and strategic goals. Having served as Sheppard Mullin’s Chief Practice Management Officer for the past eight years, Gavin brings institutional knowledge on firm practices and analytics to the CFO role. She is focused on enhancing Sheppard Mullin’s accounting, billing, collections, pricing and practice management to provide firm management, practice group leaders and individual lawyers with a state-of-the-art finance function.
Prior to joining Sheppard Mullin, Gavin spent 16 years at Winston & Strawn in various accounting/finance leadership roles. During that time, Gavin and Cain worked together to launch the firm’s pricing program, introducing alternative fee arrangements tailored to align with client goals and improve the firm’s financial results.
Sheppard Mullin’s senior Business Services team consists of nine Chiefs. Rob Brown, Sheppard Mullin’s Chief Operating Officer leading the team added, “We have an outstanding team of Chiefs, each of whom is an expert within their respective field and has a direct impact on how we have continued to growth and evolve.”