What a Law Firm's Chair Learned About Leadership in the Desert

The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Brief newsletter profiles Mayer Brown Chair Jon Van Gorp’s “servant leadership” philosophy, illustrating his belief that a leader’s role is to step in and “fill the white space” whenever circumstances demand it. The story centers on a 2023 partner retreat in Arizona, where he helped coordinate medical care for a colleague suffering from suspected heatstroke and accompanied her to the hospital.

The piece connects that experience to Mayer Brown’s broader culture, recalling the firm’s response after 9/11, when it opened its New York office to displaced clients and provided pro bono assistance to victims’ families. It also links Van Gorp’s leadership and emphasis on culture to tangible signs of the firm’s momentum, including 48 lateral hires this year following 56 in 2025 and record revenue of $2.17 billion last year.

The article portrays Van Gorp as a hands-on leader who views leadership as service, whether making major strategic decisions or stepping in during unexpected situations.