LVMH North America has added a leading lawyer from Nike, Rodney Pratt, as senior vice president and chief legal officer. He will oversee LVMH's North American business and lead the legal team while also partnering with the LVMH Maisons to provide legal counsel on worldwide regulatory, corporate, litigation and commercial matters.

Pratt has succeeded longstanding SVP and GC Louise Firestone, who has retired after 23 years at LVMH. In a LinkedIn post, Firestone wrote that she was stepping down to enjoy retirement and follow a new path. "My next chapter will include pro bono activities, board work, teaching, writing and I hope many wonderful surprises. I thank each of you who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey from the bottom of my heart," she wrote. 

Pratt brings more than 20 years' legal experience to his new role, serving most recently as VP, office of the general counsel operations, innovation and strategic iniatives at Nike. Prior to that he spent seven years as VP and GC at Converse and had a three-year stint as assistant general counsel at Nike. He began his legal career as a lawyer at Dickstein Shapiro in Washington DC. 

An adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law, Pratt co-teaches a course on sports and social justice and is involved in a number of community activities including serving as co-founder and board member of the Boston-based New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund and as co-chair of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s advisory board.