Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart said that Jim Micali, president and chairman of Michelin North America, will join the law firm as a senior business advisor and counselor after he retires from the tire maker in August.
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"We've known Jim for a long time in the Greenville community," said Gray Geddie, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins, and his association with the law firm would continue that relationship.
"He has knowledge of the business community" Geddie said. "We are pleased to have Jim's guidance and counsel as we continue to compete nationally in a global economy. His business acumen will be a great asset to the firm and its clients."
Jimmie Stewart, a founding partner in the firm whose clients include automotive industry companies, said Micali's immersion in the automotive industry "will definitely be an asset."
The last couple of decades have been transitional for the industry, he said, and Michelin's continued success as a Tier 1 supplier has given Micali great knowledge of the industry and the players, Stewart said.
Micali, 60, said, "I've enjoyed my time at Michelin. We've got some wonderful people here. I leave with a sense of gratitude" for the 31 years he's spent with the tire maker, first in the legal department and since 1996 as head of the company's North American operations.
And, "I'm looking forward to working with Ogletree Deakins," a company with a national footprint, especially in labor law, he said.
Micali, a native of Boston, will retire on Aug. 15. He joined Michelin in 1977. He has been a member of Michelin Group's worldwide Executive Council since 2001.
About six weeks after his retirement, Micali plans to begin working part-time with Ogletree Deakins. He also will consult with Michelin and has several other opportunities at which he is looking, he said.
"I'm hoping to play an advisory role to Ogletree Deakins" in labor law and business needs, he said. "Ogletree Deakins is a well established and very reputable national labor law firm. I'm hoping people will welcome my legal advice."
The firm often deals with complex labor issues, and Micali said he hopes to assist the firm in helping clients deal with those issues.
Micali's experience in dealing with both union and non-union work forces will be helpful because many of the firm's clients face the same situation, Stewart said.
Although Micali has not worked in law since 1995, he said he's excited about moving back into the legal realm.
He began his career in a law firm in Providence, R.I., and in 1985 was named general counsel and secretary for Michelin North America. He was named vice president of the North American legal and financial functions in 1990 and took over leadership of the company in 1996.
He also is on the board of Sonoco, SCANA Corp. and Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. He is a past chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and is currently chairman of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Micali said he is pleased to be able to advise and practice law with what he considers the premium labor law firm in the country.
Stewart compared Micali with a three-legged stool -- expertise in law, in-depth knowledge of finance through his Michelin career and expertise in running a business.
"All of those will help us," he said.
Geddie said, "I think it's great for Greenville" that Micali, a long-time community leader, will continue his presence here. Ogletree Deakins began its practice in Greenville and Atlanta in 1977. It now has more than 400 attorneys, with its largest office and most of its administrative staff in Greenville. The firm has 33 locations nationwide and is one of the three largest labor and employment law firms in the United States.
