By MATT CHANDLER
Buffalo Law Journal

There is a changing of the guard at one of the region's largest law firms.

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, a 116- year-old law firm based in Rochester, named John Horn partner in charge of its Buffalo office. Horn takes over from Craig Slater, who has guided the office since 2003 and will now return to his environmental-law practice.

Horn has been with Harter Secrest & Emery since 2000 and was named a partner in the firm in 2007. He said he is excited as he takes the reigns of an office that has doubled in size since 2003.

"I get an opportunity to help build this office, in my hometown, of an organization that I care so much about," Horn said. "Craig really has forged a wonderful path for us, and I think that I can build on that momentum. This is a tremendous opportunity - a little bit anxiety-producing, but I think it is a wonderful time for growth."

A 1998 graduate of Loyola University at Chicago School of Law, Horn spent two years as clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Hon. John Elfvin prior to joining Harter Secrest.

"I don't know that I ever saw (my career) leading to this," he said, referring to his appointment as managing partner, "but I certainly hoped to position myself to contribute to the office not only in the courtroom, but more strategically and organically, to help the firm grow and realize its potential."

Outside of the office, Horn has served on the board of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for several years.

"John has such great energy, and he is funny and smart, and he is totally about contributing to the Buffalo community," said BPO Executive Director Dan Hart. "I'm sure he is going to do a great job for them, as he has done for us for so long."

Jill Bond, a senior vice president at Rich Products Corp., who has known Horn both professionally and personally, said she wasn't surprised to hear of his promotion.

"Whenever I have worked with John, he has been thorough and results-orientated," she said. "He is also the nicest person you could ever hope to meet, and I would expect that in his new role, he will have a positive impact on the development of the firm's associates and ultimately, on the success of the firm."

Asked what he saw as some of the immediate challenges he will face, especially given the state of the national economy, Horn said putting the interests of its clients first will get the firm through the recession.

"As the economy changes not only locally, but across the globe," he said, "the challenge for our attorneys is to respond to those changes and to anticipate what they are going to mean for our clients."

Employing approximately 140 attorneys, 19 of whom work out of Buffalo, Harter Secrest also has offices in Rochester, Albany and Naples, Fla.

The firm reports that it expects to bring three more lawyers on staff in Buffalo by the fall.