Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass Creates New Executive Position, Welcomes Eric Dewey as Chief Marketing and Practice Administration Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 7, 2013) - Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP, a nearly 125-year-old law firm located in San Francisco's historic Ferry Building, has named Eric Dewey to its newly created position of chief marketing and practice administration officer (CMPAO). Dewey's appointment comes on the heels of CEO Carter Brown, the Bay Area's first non-lawyer CEO, joining the firm in May. Starting with Brown's hire, Coblentz's attorney-led Executive Committee set out to bring on seasoned non-lawyer executives to run the demanding business aspects of the firm.

The CMPAO role deviates from traditional legal industry positions by combining the senior marketing role with a role supporting the firm's practice group operations, giving the position broad responsibility to orchestrate a unique client experience. The combined role may be the only role of its kind in the industry.

Dewey will work with attorney practice group leaders to assist with business plan development, financial performance analysis and matter staffing strategies, in addition to more traditional practice development responsibilities, such as service, brand management and cross practice marketing. He will also oversee all aspects of marketing, communications and business development for the firm. The firm anticipates the combined role will improve resource coordination, attorney support and client service delivery.

"We saw this as an opportunity to bring on a senior-level professional who can oversee not only the firm's marketing and branding, but who also can support and bring focus to specific practices," said Richard R. Patch, name partner. "This allows our lawyers to step away from the administrative burdens and do what they do best -- practice law and serve our clients."

Dewey's past experience includes the chief marketing executive roles in two AmLaw 200 law firms and the largest plaintiffs' securities class action firm in the U.S. He has more than 25 years of marketing and business development experience in the legal, financial services and commercial real estate industries. Dewey earned his MBA from Ohio University and has a BA in political science from the University of Maryland.

"Creating CEO and CMPAO positions may seem unorthodox for a law firm, but law firms are businesses. To be successful in today's fiercely competitive environment, firms must deliver extraordinary value to their clients. We think building out the firm's executive management and operational capabilities, particularly based on the experience gained through decades of combined business leadership, will help evolve our business model into one even more intensely client focused," said Brown. "We have some of the region's most talented attorneys pouring their passion into legal counseling and litigation and that's where we want them to devote their time. Eric and I bring the business acumen and extensive legal industry experience to ensure effective operations and delivery."

"I'm thrilled by the opportunity to help create a truly innovative approach to serving client's legal needs and delivering legal services," said Dewey. "Combining the two roles should enable us to provide even more distinctive value to our clients while fostering business efficiencies and facilitating future planning. This, in turn, should fuel our growth."

Many of the best known and highly respected businesses in Northern California seek out Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass for their most complex and challenging projects, transactions, and cases. These include, among others, the San Francisco 49ers; San Francisco Giants; Exploratorium; California Academy of Sciences; California Pacific Medical Center/Sutter Health; Dish Networks; Cox Communications; Time Warner Cable; TMG Partners; Equity Office; Wells Fargo; and Sony Entertainment.

About Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is a premier provider of innovative, results-oriented legal services. The firm specializes in real estate; litigation; business; intellectual property; employment; tax; and family wealth. U.S. News & World Report recognized Coblentz as one of the nation's top law firms in the Best Law Firm list, with a national ranking and a prestigious "Tier 1" ranking in the highly competitive San Francisco law firm category. For more information: www.coblentzlaw.com