National law firm Cole Schotz P.C. said in a Wednesday announcement that Hackensack-based Employment Law Department Chair Randi Kochman has been elected to serve as a co-managing shareholder alongside Samuel Weiner and Warren Usatine, effective immediately.
Kochman is the firm’s first female co-managing shareholder.
“Randi is an accomplished leader and dedicated mentor, who has made meaningful and impactful contributions to our culture and growth since starting her legal career here nearly 30 years ago,” Usatine said. “Randi has a deep understanding of our firm and has always been staunchly committed to our values of developing long-lasting client relationships and creating opportunities for our attorneys to grow.”
Kochman and Usatine both joined Cole Schotz as summer associates in 1994, and have spent their entire legal careers at the firm.
Kochman, who remains chair of the firm’s Employment Law Department, has taken on a wide range of responsibilities during her time at Cole Schotz, including acting as human resources counsel to the firm and more recently joining the return to office task force. She is also on the Executive Committee and has served or is currently serving on committees focusing on finance; diversity, equity and inclusion; community affairs; and employment, harassment and personnel issues.
Kochman’s election was facilitated by the decision of Michael Sirota not to seek re-election as co-managing shareholder following more than two decades serving the firm in that capacity.
“Mike is an extraordinary leader who has made countless contributions to our firm over the many years he served as co-managing shareholder,” Weiner said. “We are incredibly fortunate to have grown under his guidance, and he will continue to play a significant role as a mentor and leader of our Bankruptcy Department and firm.”
In practice, Kochman has nearly three decades of helping employers in all types of employment-related contexts.
“I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to join an extraordinary leadership team,” Kochman said. “I look forward to continuing to help the firm navigate the novel challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, while prioritizing our commitment to building deep client relationships and developing some of the most talented lawyers in the industry.”
Kochman has long been committed to furthering the careers of women in the legal industry. In addition to her leadership and mentoring roles at Cole Schotz, she has been actively involved in the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, including previously serving as president, president-elect, vice president and secretary. She is also a trustee of Partners for Women & Justice, a nonprofit that provides free legal representation to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
