Marissa Parker
Chief Operating Officer
As chief operating officer, Marissa Parker combines her legal experience with her passion for people-centricity to drive operational agility, profitability and exceptional client service. In this role, Marissa leads and directs the firm’s business operations — including compliance, growth, information technology and security, knowledge management, marketing, office operations, practice management and talent — and serves on the firm’s management committee. She works closely with the firm’s board to support the development and implementation of the firm's overall strategy.
A former practicing litigator for 15 years, Marissa represented and advised institutional clients in complex, high-stakes disputes across numerous industries. Marissa’s pragmatic approach to problem-solving, commitment to achieving outcomes with short- and long-term value, and high-touch mentoring and training of team members — all hallmarks of her litigation career — are foundational to her role as COO. She has long embraced a growth mindset in the practice and business of law and a commitment to optimizing business operations through people, process and technology.
Since joining the firm as a summer associate, Marissa has served in several leadership roles, including as co-chair of the investment management litigation practice and vice chair of the litigation department. As hiring partner, Marissa redesigned the firm’s recruiting and interview process to focus on structured, behavioral assessments that reduced unconscious bias. Then and now, she champions practices to attract and retain a diverse body of highly accomplished lawyers and business professionals who are resilient self-starters — consistent with the culture of Stradley Ronon.
Marissa is a frequent speaker on issues related to law firm business operations; she previously served on Law360’s Legal Industry Editorial Advisory Board.
