John Bouma to Step Down as Chair of Snell & Wilmer

PHOENIX (October 21, 2014) – Snell & Wilmer today announced that after more than 30 years as chairman, John J. Bouma will step down from the position on March 1, 2015. Matthew P. Feeney, a partner in the firm’s Phoenix office, will assume the chairmanship at that time. Following the transition, Bouma will remain active in his practice and continue to serve on the firm’s executive and compensation committees. During Bouma’s tenure, the firm has experienced significant expansion and now employs more than 1,000 attorneys and staff.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve as Snell & Wilmer’s chairman,” said Bouma. “I have had the distinct privilege of working with outstanding colleagues and clients. This is the right time. The firm has a strong presence and reputation across our regional footprint, our financial position is sound and Matt Feeney is uniquely qualified to serve as the firm’s new chairman.”

Bouma joined Snell & Wilmer in 1962 and enjoys a celebrated career that continues to influence the legal and civic landscapes across Arizona and beyond. His practice emphasizes complex business litigation, including antitrust and legal malpractice defense. He has served as president of the Maricopa County Bar Association, the State Bar of Arizona, the Western States Bar Conference and the National Conference of Bar Presidents. He has been a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates and its Board of Governors. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has served on the Board of Directors and as chair of Attorneys’ Liability Assurance Society, the professional liability insurer for many of the country’s large law firms.

Among his many regional and national awards, Bouma has been included in annual editions of The Best Lawyers in America© consecutively for the 31 years it has been published and has been named by the National Law Journal as one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.”

On the civic front, Bouma has served as president of the Phoenix Art Museum and the Arizona Opera, and currently serves on the boards of directors for the Art Museum, Valley of the Sun United Way and Greater Phoenix Leadership. He is also a co-founder of the Arizona Equal Justice Campaign, Wildlife for Tomorrow and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Arizona Chapter.

“John has been a friend, colleague and mentor for over 30 years,” said Feeney. “He has masterfully managed and guided Snell & Wilmer for more than three decades. He is an honorable advocate on behalf of his clients, endeavors to be fair, demonstrates a genuine respect for all, works to elevate the standards of the profession and does so with humility and integrity. I am honored to follow in his large footsteps as chairman. And I look forward to the opportunity to build upon what he helped establish and to embrace the opportunities the future holds for Snell & Wilmer.”

About Snell & Wilmer

Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 400 attorneys practicing in nine locations throughout the western United States and in Mexico, including Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles and Orange County, California; Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.swlaw.com.