Hahn & Hahn LLP Elects Christianne Kerns Its New Managing Partner

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hahn & Hahn LLP announced today that Business and Finance Partner Christianne Kerns has been elected the firm's Managing Partner effective March 1, 2020.

"Chris is an obvious choice to guide us into the next decade," said current Managing Partner Karl I. Swaidan, who has held the post for the past 13 years. "Her leadership experience, sound judgment, and successful track record will benefit us and our clients as we look to tackle future challenges head on."

Swaidan decided to step away from day to day management of the firm so he can spend more time on his trust and estates and tax practice.  He will remain a member of Hahn & Hahn's Executive Committee.

"Hahn & Hahn has been in existence for more than 120 years," noted Kerns, who joined the firm in 2003. "I think much of that longevity is attributable to strong leadership. I know I speak for all of the partners when I say that we are enormously grateful to Karl for guiding the firm to where we are today."

Kerns is the first woman elected to lead Hahn & Hahn, and only the fifth managing partner since the founding Hahn family entrusted the administration of the firm to the broader partnership.

Kerns says her goals for Hahn & Hahn include remaining true to the firm's values and vision for high quality legal representation in and around Southern California.  The firm will continue its long emphasis on providing clients with excellent legal counsel and economic value, broadening its deep community ties in the region, and leveraging its recent certification as a majority Women & Minority Owned Business Enterprise, which is a rarity for firms of its size.

"It's an interesting and exciting time in the legal profession," said Kerns. "From the fast pace of emerging technologies, to the interconnectivity of social media, coupled with continuing efforts toward diversity and inclusiveness, and social responsibility and sustainability practices, we are rising to the occasion.  As leaders in the business community, lawyers need to be thoughtful, agile, and proactive."

A native Angeleno, Kerns hales from a family of highly respected civic and community leaders, including her great uncle, the much-loved and highly revered Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, and her cousins, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn.  As a member of the Hahn family – ironic, but no relation to the founding partners of Hahn & Hahn – Kerns was indoctrinated at an early age to the life of a servant leader.

Kerns, who earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, advises institutional clients, boards of directors, equity holders, and C-suite executives on a wide variety of commercial transactions and general business matters, such as commercial real estate projects, domestic and cross-border finance transactions, corporate transactions and all manner of complex commercial affiliations and agreements.  Kerns counts among her clients such Southern California mainstays as the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, the Rose Bowl Management Committee, and the Huntington Memorial Hospital Trust. 

In 2018 and 2019, the Los Angeles Business Journal recognized Kerns as one of Southern California's Most Influential Women Attorneys.  In 2019, Kerns was one of a select group of top female executives chosen to participate in Harvard Business School's "Women on Corporate Boards" executive program.

"I like to think we've earned the trust and loyalty our clients place in us," Kerns said.  "I'm excited to contribute to the legacy of Hahn & Hahn, and I'm honored to have the trust and support of my colleagues to lead us into the next chapter."

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jonathan Fitzgarrald
(310) 601-6008
[email protected]

SOURCE Hahn & Hahn LLP