Barnes & Thornburg Appoints Kristen Richer as Next Chair of Litigation Department

LOS ANGELES (March 2, 2026) – Barnes & Thornburg announced today that Kristen Richer has been appointed chair-elect of the Am Law 75 firm’s 275-lawyer Litigation Department. Current Litigation Department chair and Management Committee member Randy Brown has held the role since 2018 and plans to step down from the position in November.

“Under Randy’s leadership, our litigation practice has seen extraordinary growth, expansion of services for our clients, and increasing sophistication in the technologies employed to serve our clients with efficiency,” said firm managing partner Andrew Detherage. “Thanks to Randy’s vision, we are primed for Kristen to lead our national team in continued strategic growth and practice sophistication.”

“Kristen’s appointment reflects her outstanding record of client service, her leadership in major litigation matters across jurisdictions, and her ability to inspire excellence in others,” Detherage continued. “I am confident in her ability to continue elevating the practice and drive value for our clients.”

Based in Los Angeles, Richer currently co-chairs the firm’s Consumer Class Action Defense practice and manages the Los Angeles office’s Litigation Department.  As a litigator, her practice focuses on defense of Fortune 500 companies, including some of the nation’s most recognizable drug, device, consumer products manufacturers and national retail pharmacy chains, in a range of consumer products, commercial and product liability litigation.

As Litigation chair, Richer will oversee the continued strategic growth and development of the firm’s Litigation Department, set firmwide policies and programs for the practice, manage recruitment and attorney development, and ensure the department continues to meet and exceed the firm’s standards of excellence in client service.

“Kristen is an exceptional litigator whose strategic mind and client-first approach have made her a go-to partner in some of the most challenging litigation matters facing our clients,” said Brown. “Her combination of deep analytical ability, courtroom experience, and commitment to collaboration — including her extensive work in recruiting, mentoring and developing attorney talent within the department — position her to lead the department into its next chapter.”

Richer has a distinguished track record representing clients in mass torts litigation, including multidistrict litigation and coordinated proceedings, serving as liaison counsel in cases involving product liability and consumer class action claims, and helping guide defense strategy from pre-filing through trial and resolution. Her leadership on major cases and national litigation teams has been recognized in the legal community, including being named one of the Top 100 Lawyers by the Los Angeles Business Journal and a Law360 Rising Star for product liability law.

“It is a tremendous honor to step into the role of Litigation Department chair,” said Richer. “Barnes & Thornburg has long been defined by exceptionally high standards of advocacy, professionalism, and client service. I am immensely grateful to Randy for his leadership in building a litigation department grounded in those principles, and I look forward to continuing to grow and develop the department in a way that reflects those standards and advances the firm’s broader strategic vision.”

About Barnes & Thornburg

Barnes & Thornburg operates 26 offices across the United States, enabling more than 850 lawyers to serve clients nationwide. As one of the 100 largest law firms in the country, we provide seamless coast-to-coast coverage for high-stakes litigation, complex transactions and innovative IP matters. Our national reach and knowledge of local markets help clients conduct business confidently wherever opportunities arise. Visit btlaw.com.