Baker McKenzie Named New Transactional Practice Head
The firm elevated Lucas Tyszkiewicz to lead its transactional group following the departure of a veteran partner.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in People
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Baker McKenzie has promoted partner Lucas Tyszkiewicz to head of its transactional practice group in Washington. The leadership shift follows the resignation of Lance Sacks, who previously led the group.
Why it matters
The appointment serves as a strategic move to stabilize the firm's leadership team after a recent series of staff exits. Maintaining continuity in transactional practice groups is critical for firms navigating complex energy and infrastructure deal pipelines.
Lance Sacks concluded a 6-year tenure at the firm before his departure. The firm is currently working to stabilize its transactional leadership team.
The players
Baker McKenzie
A global law firm providing legal services to multinational corporations across energy, infrastructure, and M&A sectors.
Lucas Tyszkiewicz
A partner at Baker McKenzie with expertise in energy, infrastructure, and M&A who now leads the local transactional practice.
Lance Sacks
A former leader of the transactional practice group at Baker McKenzie who recently moved to join Jones Day.
Jones Day
A large, full-service global law firm known for its significant presence in Washington and complex litigation and corporate work.
The details
Baker McKenzie moved to fill the vacancy by promoting Tyszkiewicz, an existing partner focused on energy, infrastructure, and M&A. This internal elevation is designed to minimize disruption in client service following Sacks' resignation. Sacks has since joined the local office of competitor Jones Day.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: The promotion of Lucas Tyszkiewicz was officially announced.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition follows the established pattern of partner mobility in elite legal firms where organizations must rapidly backfill positions to retain client trust. It highlights the competitive pressure to maintain stable teams in the face of frequent lateral moves.
Operators relying on specialized legal counsel should verify if their primary points of contact remain in place following recent firm turnover. Use this transition period to confirm your service team's stability and current deal oversight responsibilities.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at partner-level roles often signal internal adjustments to maintain team continuity. Operators should treat high-level departures as a prompt to review existing engagement terms and ensure continued access to their specific subject-matter experts.
Further reading
For more on local professional shifts, see People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Australian Financial Review.
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