Sacks Tierney appoints Heather Duncan to lead firmwide operations and strategic growth.
Client: Sacks Tierney | Role: Chief Operating Officer | Candidate: Heather Duncan
Recruiter: Sarah Mitchell, Director
Overview
Sacks Tierney, a full-service law firm with a 60-year track record serving clients across Arizona, partners with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit a Chief Operating Officer. As the firm continues to grow its presence in the region, it seeks an operational leader to modernize internal systems, enhance firm performance, and support long-term strategic planning.
Key Leadership Need
Sacks Tierney seeks a Chief Operating Officer to oversee the firm’s business and administrative operations while aligning daily processes with long-term growth goals. The ideal candidate is a seasoned law firm executive with strong experience in finance, HR, business strategy, and firm culture.
The Alexander Group’s Approach
Director Sarah Mitchell leads a national search focused on law firm operations executives with deep experience in strategic planning, operational efficiency, and organizational leadership.
Search priorities include:
- Proven success leading legal operations across multiple office environments
- Strength in financial management, process improvement, and people leadership
- Experience partnering with firm leadership on long-term strategic planning
Heather Duncan is the ideal candidate, with prior COO roles at McGinnis Lochridge, Vogel Law Firm, and Garfield & Hecht. She brings a legacy of optimizing law firm operations, building collaborative team cultures, and aligning back-office functions with business goals.
Successful Placement and Impact
Heather Duncan joins Sacks Tierney as Chief Operating Officer, where she leads firmwide operations, strategic initiatives, and cross-functional collaboration to support the firm’s continued growth and client service excellence.
Immediate Impact:
- Aligns internal operations with firmwide growth priorities
- Modernizes infrastructure across finance, HR, and administration
- Strengthens leadership team collaboration and resource planning
- Enhances organizational culture through transparency and team development
Insights from the Recruiter
“Heather’s business acumen, operational experience, emotional intelligence, and growth mindset will be the perfect complement to Sacks Tierney’s leadership team as they continue to build the firm.”
– Sarah Mitchell, Director, The Alexander Group
About Sacks Tierney
Founded in 1960, Sacks Tierney is a Scottsdale-based law firm serving businesses, governments, individuals, and tribal nations throughout Arizona. Known for legal excellence and long-term client relationships, the firm is committed to delivering high-quality counsel in litigation, real estate, Indian law, business law, and more.
About The Alexander Group
The Alexander Group is a global executive search firm based in Houston. The firm partners with law firms and professional services organizations to recruit operational and strategic leaders who elevate performance, culture, and growth.
Behind every high-performing firm is a strong operational foundation. The Alexander Group helps legal teams find the leaders who make that possible.