By Perry Smith
Signal Managing Editor
The Santa Clarita Valley’s largest law firm announced Wednesday a new name has been added to the title.
Poole & Shaffery, LLP, is now called Poole Shaffery & Koegle, LLP, adding the name of longtime SCV attorney and current partner Brian Koegle, who will continue to lead the transactional and litigation teams for the labor and employment division of the business law firm.
“Brian Koegle has exemplified everything the firm stands for,” said John H. Shaffery, a founding partner of the firm. “He’s community-minded, and he is driven to bring our business clients the quality representation they would expect from a large firm, with the attention to detail and personal service you’d expect from a smaller firm.”
The firm opened its doors in Santa Clarita in 1998, and Koegle joined in 2004, sharing that while his longevity with one firm is a bit uncommon, it’s a “testament to the fact that David (Poole) and John (Shaffery) have built a tremendous business that not only attracts but retains good talent, and really that’s what I want to build on.”
While Koegle said the change wouldn’t affect day-to-day operations, he looked forward to taking a more visible role within the firm.
Koegle, a College of the Canyons Hall of Fame inductee, is involved in numerous SCV nonprofit organizations, including the Canyons Foundation, HandsOn Santa Clarita and the SCV Youth Project. Through his current role at Poole Shaffery & Koegle, he also occasionally leads talks on employment law practices for the local business community.
“It’s basically recognizing what the future of the firm is going to look like in 10-20 years,” Koegle said, adding he looked forward to upholding a tradition of success for the “legacy firm.”
He recently played an important role in garnering community support for COC’s successful $230 million bond effort, Measure E.
“He’s an integral part of everything we do. Brian is a ‘heart-and-soul’ member of our partnership team,” Poole said. “Brian is a leader among the partners in our firm, and we have been fortunate to see him grow into the excellent attorney he has become over the past 15 years.”
