Haddonfield-based law firm Archer & Greiner announced Monday that Deborah A. Hays has been appointed as the first female chair of the firm’s board of directors. Hays will begin her five-year stint as chair at the start of October and will succeed James H. Carll, who led the board for the last 17 years.
“We would like to thank Jim for his exemplary service and devotion over the past two decades,” said Chris Gibson, president of Archer & Greiner. “Jim has made exceptional contributions through his vision and business acumen to our board, and we are thrilled Debbie will be taking the helm to expand Archer’s presence and success in the region.”
With Stacey Sinclair as chief operating officer, Gibson says that two-thirds of Archer’s senior leadership are now female lawyers. “We believe this again shows that we are strongly committed to diversity and no limits are placed on what our attorneys can achieve,” he said.
Having been with the firm since 1987, Hays has been on the board for five years and has over 25 years of business transactions experience, having represented a variety of enterprises, institutions and businesses, from small startups to international corporations.
“It has been an honor to serve Archer during a period of growth, as we have more than doubled in size over my tenure,” Carll said. “I’m also proud to see Debbie, with whom I have worked closely for many years, follow me as chair. She will be a tremendous asset for the firm.”
Hays will work closely with Gibson, the governing board and partners at the firm to oversee and lead Archer’s strategic and operational priorities.
“This is a tremendous honor and true privilege,” Hays said. “I am committed to driving our firm’s advancement into the next generation and thrilled to work alongside our talented group of attorneys to provide high-quality and results-driven services so Archer can sustain another 90 years of success and prominence in the legal industry.”
