Christopher Carson assumed the role of CEO of Cohen & Grigsby PC on January 1st, after a seven-month transition period from the previous CEO, Jack Elliott. The seven-month transition period allowed Carson time to learn the responsibilities of the new role, without causing too much confusion for the firm during the changeover. Carson was able to take over smoothly thanks to the strong management team and infrastructure already in place. Cohen & Grigsby's strategic focus includes leadership training and succession planning to ensure the continued growth and development of its lawyers.

1. Seven-month changeover provides time to learn
on job
Jan 29, 2016, 6:00am EST
JOE WOJCIK
Christopher Carson is CEO of Cohen & Grigsby PC.
Christopher Carson knew the value of talent long before he was tapped to serve as
president and CEO of Cohen & Grigsby PC. Then again, so did his predecessor, Jack
Elliott, which has helped to make his transition to the top much smoother than it could
have been.
“I was very fortunate to inherit a tremendous management team here,” said Carson,
who was offered the post last May and assumed it Jan. 1. “We have a superb
infrastructure. We keep tweaking it and making it a little better, faster, lighter, more
responsive. That makes it easier to be the managing partner. It puts you in a position
of great comfort that people are working together with a collegial approach to
problem solving.”
The time frame for the transition was perfect, according to Carson. It was enough time
for him to learn the job, but not of a duration that would confuse the rest of the firm.
“It’s difficult and taxing for people going through the transition, wondering, ‘do I
have to talk to Jack and Chris about this matter or just have one of them sign off on
it,’” he said. “I don’t think you’d want it longer. There are two schools of thought
with a change, that anyone in the C-suite could take up the role immediately and the
second one that says the more training folks get, the better. I’m glad we fell into the
second category.”
The selection process took about three months. Cohen & Grigsby’s shareholders first
identified a group of lawyers they believed were qualified to lead the firm, then

2. winnowed the candidates down by asking if they were interested. Then, those finalists
went through an interview process.
“A lot were strategic questions, ‘What would you do in this situation, what would
your plans be?’” Carson recalled. “It was healthy and interesting. I think they asked
everyone the same set of questions, and at the end, there was a recommendation and a
shareholders’ vote.”
When the offer was made to Carson, he was pleased to accept.
“I firmly believe that if you’ve been happy at a firm and it’s been good to you, you
owe it to them to give back,” he said. “You need to do it. And it was the right time.”
Because of the structure, even with his new responsibilities, Carson is still a practicing
lawyer. He confers with Elliott, who had led the firm since 2003, almost daily, and
COO Allan TeDesco, who oversees administration.
“It does leave me with the capability of representing clients I’ve been with for a long
time,” Carson said. “I do intend to delegate what I can, but sometimes clients want to
talk to you directly.”
That’s Elliott’s model, he added. Elliott not only practiced law while increasing the
number of lawyers at the firm by one-third during his tenure, but now that he has gone
back to being a Cohen & Grigsby director, he also is simultaneously serving as
general counsel for long-time client Giant Eagle Inc. It’s inspiring to Carson.
“Sometimes I wonder how he found the energy,” Carson said. “Maintaining your
flexibility is a valuable trait.”
For his part, Elliott believes Carson will do “a great job” from multiple perspectives.
“He’s grown his practice dramatically, and he has incredible relationship skills with
clients and tremendous leadership skills,” Elliott said.
Cohen & Grigsby’s management team’s first 2016 meeting was Jan. 20, and the firm
is just starting its strategic planning process, so Carson had few details to share on
what may happen at Cohen & Grigsby. But he saw his roughly seven-month transition
phase as a learning experience.
“I took copious notes,” he said. “A lot of good ideas get left by the sidelines, and I’ll
go back to see if there’s anything we left behind. The challenge with law firms is
you’re so consumed with taking care of clients, you frequently don’t have the time

3. and resources internally to nurture the growth of others and development of leaders.
You need to focus on succession planning. No one works forever.”
Cohen & Grigsby’s strategic management initiative reviews the firm’s procedures and
processes for management — the recruiting and compensation systems. It works with
outside consultants on leadership training and focuses on the development of senior
associates from the fifth to seventh year out of law school.
“We realized that the primary if not the most important asset is the people, and it’s
critical to make sure they’re moving forward, developing a sound footing and feeling
their careers are heading in the right direction,” Carson said. “If people don’t believe
in what they’re doing, they’re not going to thrive and do their best for clients.”
Patty Tascarella
Senior Reporter
Pittsburgh Business Times