Big Law CEO on His Rise to the Throne, NY Roots and the Dentons Hotel

Andy Kassner, chair and chief executive officer of Drinker Biddle & Reath, splits his time between Philadelphia and Delaware, but he’s quick to point out his hometown roots in the city that never sleeps.

It was the first thing he pointed out in a recorded interview last month with Big Law Business, in which he discussed a number of trends he sees playing out in the legal industry and the internal dynamics of his firm’s business. For one thing, he hopes to grow in New York City, where it staffs more than 40 lawyers.

“I grew up here, I lived here, ...