Lippes Mathias today announced the promotion of Lisa G. Decker from director of human resources to chief people officer (CPO). Decker, who joined Lippes Mathias in 2021, is responsible for the sustained growth and innovation of the firm’s human resources function.

The chief people officer role oversees the complete employee experience—from policies and benefits to employee recruitment, development, and firm culture. Elevating Decker to this new role is a strategic step in maintaining and championing the firm’s unique culture of collegiality and collaboration as Lippes Mathias continues to grow its footprint and attorney count. 

“Our culture is our identity—it’s what makes us different,” Kevin J. Cross, Lippes Mathias’ managing partner and chairman, said. “Lisa understands the significance of what we’ve built and how rare it is in our industry. Chief people officer is a fitting title for Lisa, who will continue to focus on a people-first approach to how we engage our employees, who are the backbone of our firm.”

Decker has more than 20 years of human resources, finance, and office administration experience. She is a member of the Buffalo Niagara Human Resources Association and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. In the community, Decker serves as a unit volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and as a disaster action team volunteer with the American Red Cross. In 2023, Decker was honored as a recipient of Buffalo Business First’s HR Impact Award.

Lippes Mathias is a full-service law firm with nearly 200 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Clarence, Albany, Long Island, New York, Rochester and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Cleveland, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla. and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately-owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals.