Employment litigator Camilo Echavarria has become the first Latino to take chairmanship of Davis Wright Tremaine’s executive committee.
Echavarria, who is partner-in-charge of Seattle-based Davis Wright Tremaine’s downtown and Culver City offices, was elected to the role on April 20. He succeeds Sarah Tune, a Seattle- and New York-based practice chair, with whom he worked alongside as the prior vice chair of the committee.
“I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead the firm’s executive committee, and very proud to be the first Latino head of the Committee,” Echavarria said. “That experience has prepared me well, and I appreciate the trust my partners have shown in me by electing me to serve in this role.”
Elections also seated a new vice chair and secretary, two new committee members and two returning committee members. Among the two new members are L.A. entertainment and tech litigator Nicolas Jampol.
Firm managing partner Scott MacCormack hailed Tune for leading the firm through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We welcome our new members Nick and Sanjay (Nangia) and look forward to Camilo and (Vice Chair) Jaime (Drozd) helping guide the firm’s strategic direction,” MacCormack said in a statement.
Echavarria described the executive committee as a board of directors and said he would approach his new role as such, with MacCormack as the chief executive.
“We help develop and guide firm policy and provide direction and oversight of major projects, initiatives or decisions that will have a significant impact on the firm,” he said. “It’s my job to make sure that the executive committee stays engaged on all of those issues and communicates frequently with our lawyers.”
In the role, Echavarria said he aims to continue Davis Wright Tremaine’s growth plan, which includes a focus on California and the East Coast practices, building up its operation in Chicago and filling out various practice groups. Echavarria launched the firm’s Culver City office this year. It adopted a firmwide strategic plan in March, he said.
