Barnes & Thornburg announced today that Patrick D. Cornelius has been named managing partner of the firm’s Columbus office and elected to the firmwide management committee.
Cornelius succeeds William A. Nolan, who played an integral role in expanding the firm’s presence in Columbus during his 15-year tenure as office management partner. Nolan remains a partner of the firm and will maintain his active labor and employment practice.
“Bill transformed the Columbus office into a full-service team capable of meeting the diverse and growing needs of our clients in the region and across the country,” said Andrew J. Detherage, firm managing partner. “A natural leader, I’m excited to see Pat continue to grow our presence and client base in Central Ohio, as it is an important component of our firm strategy.”
Cornelius takes the helm as the Columbus office celebrates its 15th anniversary. Since opening under Nolan’s leadership in 2009, the office has seen significant growth and has doubled in size in recent years. The office has over 45 attorneys and business professionals spanning various practice groups, including corporate, litigation, government services, labor and employment, and healthcare.
“As I step into this role, I remain focused on building on the momentum we’ve seen during Bill’s tenure to support Barnes & Thornburg’s clients and the next generation of talent,” said Cornelius. “Everyone on the team brings diverse qualities that contribute to the success on behalf of our clients and office, and we will continue to cultivate that unique culture and energy.”
Cornelius, who joined the firm in 2019, focuses his practice on strategic transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, capital raising and investments, recapitalizations, and strategic relationship transactions. He represents both acquirers and targets across various industries, with an emphasis on the healthcare and life sciences industries. In the healthcare sector, he represents health systems M&A and joint venture matters, provider groups in hospital-physician alignment strategies and alternative payment model transactions. In the life sciences sector, he represents investors and portfolio companies in virtually all aspects of capitalization, affiliations, commercial contracting, licensing, technology development and commercialization.