K&L Gates Names New United States Regional Managing Partner

Washington, D.C. – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has appointed David Wochner to the role of US Regional Managing Partner, succeeding Thomas Smith who has served in the role since 2019. 

Wochner will remain in his current role as Managing Partner of the Washington, DC office and Smith will continue to serve on the Advisory Council through March 1, 2026.

Wochner began serving as Washington, DC Office Managing Partner in 2023 and led the firm’s global Policy and Regulatory practice from 2016 through 2023. In his active practice, he has advised and represented global energy industry clients for nearly 25 years on critical US federal regulatory and policy issues impacting energy infrastructure and commodities, and also co-leads the firm’s global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) practice as well as its Hydrogen practice. 

Wochner, who has served on the firm’s Management Committee for nearly a decade, said: "I am grateful to the firm’s leadership for placing their trust in me. What attracted me to K&L Gates more than 12 years ago when I joined this firm remains true today—our fully integrated platform enables us to seamlessly and effectively deliver to clients the benefits of deep industry knowledge and experience across our 25 US offices and around the world. I’m excited to help drive strategic growth and further connectivity among our offices to meet our clients’ needs and bring to bear the full capacity of our lawyers’ and policy professionals’ capabilities. ” 

In addition to Smith’s tenure as US Regional Managing Partner, he served as the Pittsburgh Office Managing Partner from 2015 through 2023 and was a member of the firm’s Management Committee for the past 10 years. As a trial lawyer, he has experience litigating a wide range of commercial matters and has served as lead counsel in jury trials, bench trials, and international arbitrations. In 2004 he founded the firm’s e-Discovery Analysis and Technology (e-DAT) Group—one of the first e-discovery practice groups established at a major law firm—for which he is the co-practice group coordinator. 

"I am thankful for the opportunity to have served as the United States Regional Managing Partner,” stated Smith. “It has been an honor to help expand our offices across the region while maintaining the culture, collaboration, and respect that first drew me to K&L Gates nearly four decades ago. I am looking forward to supporting the efforts of David and the new leadership team to continue this growth trajectory.”

"The firm is extremely grateful to Tom for his contributions and dedication to the firm and our clients,” said K&L Gates' Global Managing Partner Stacy Ackermann. “I look forward to working with David as we continue to build upon the solid foundation that Tom and other firm leaders have established.”