McNees Appoints Fortune 500-Trained Technology Leader Jeff Lagana as Chief Information Officer
May 19, 2026
Press Releases
HARRISBURG, Pa. (May 19, 2026) — McNees Wallace & Nurick today announced the appointment of Jeff Lagana as chief information officer.
A leader with a career spanning Fortune 500 organizations and AmLaw 100 firms, Lagana brings an elite track record of building enterprise AI platforms, driving digital transformation, and delivering high-maturity security outcomes.
In his new role, Lagana will partner with firm leadership to define and execute the firm’s enterprise technology strategy, spanning security, innovation, and firm-wide digital transformation. He joins McNees from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, where he was instrumental in institutionalizing innovation, most notably by leading the development of a proprietary legal AI platform, Artifex. Under his leadership, Artifex evolved from an internal efficiency tool into a high-value, revenue-generating asset for the firm.
That work earned Buchanan and Lagana recognition from BTI Consulting Group as a “Best of the Best in Generative AI” leader and directly contributed to client wins in which technology was cited as a differentiator.
Throughout his career, Lagana has led high-performing teams in delivering transformative efficiency gains. By combining strategic vendor optimization with process automation and AI initiatives, he has realized millions in cost savings while enhancing operational resilience. Equally critical is his flawless security record, having maintained a zero-breach environment and a 100% success rate on client security audits over nearly a decade. At McNees, Lagana is already partnering with the firm’s experienced IT professionals to scale this foundation, deploying secure, modern technology across the firm’s entire digital footprint.
“Jeff has built enterprise AI platforms, turned them into revenue, and delivered millions in efficiency gains, all without compromising security or the client experience. That kind of track record speaks for itself, and it’s exactly what drew us to him,” said McNees Chief Operating Officer Jenna Wagner. “We are investing in technology that empowers our attorneys and elevates the service we provide to our clients. Jeff is the ideal leader to drive this initiative and has a proven track record of delivering these exact results.”
“The best technology is an invisible enabler. Attorneys move faster, clients get better outcomes, and technology serves as the seamless foundation. That’s what I’ve spent my career building, and it only matters if it’s making someone’s job easier or a client’s experience better,” said Lagana. “What excites me about McNees is that the firm views technology as a strategic asset rather than a support function. We are ready to move from modernization to transformation.”
Earlier in his career, Lagana built and scaled a global security program across 30 international offices, achieving ISO 27001 certification and maintaining a flawless record across years of sophisticated Fortune 500 security reviews.
Lagana will assume leadership of the firm’s technology operations as CIO, succeeding Chief Technology Officer Don Martin, who announced his intention to retire earlier this year. To ensure a seamless transition, Martin has agreed to remain on board to serve as a resource to Lagana and firm leadership to ensure a smooth transition of all operational duties.
Lagana holds a master’s degree in information technology project management from Robert Morris University and served for nine years in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as an infantry and mortarman specialist in Erie, Pa.
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McNees is a multidisciplinary law firm founded in 1935 with more than 170 attorneys representing businesses, associations, institutions, municipalities, and individuals. The firm serves clients worldwide from 12 offices in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Plymouth Meeting, Pittsburgh, Radnor, Reading, State College, and York, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Frederick and Towson, Md.; and Washington, D.C.
