Outgoing Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield will join the Birmingham law firm of Burr & Forman next year as its managing director of economic development.

Canfield, who has served in the Commerce post for the past 12 years, announced in October that he would step down at year’s end.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced Ellen McNair, chief economic development officer with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, will take the post Jan. 1. She will be the first female Commerce Department secretary.

Canfield, who is not licensed to practice law, will not offer legal services. Instead, according to a company announcement, he will be “working to attract and retain businesses in the state” and throughout the Southeast. He will work with the firm’s Economic Development team, which includes lawyers across five states.

“Secretary Canfield and I have worked together for over a decade,” Burr & Forman Partner Lee Thuston said in a statement. “He knows economic development – and particularly the automotive sector – inside and out. That knowledge and his leadership will be a great benefit to our clients going forward.”

As a state legislator, Canfield headed the House’s commerce and small business committee. During his time at Commerce, Canfield helped land more than $70 billion in new investments, creating 180,000 jobs. The biggest achievement during his tenure was helping securing Huntsville as the site for the $2.3 billion Mazda-Toyota joint manufacturing plant in 2018.

“Economic expansion is good for communities and good for families. I am proud of what we achieved during my time in the public sector and look forward to continuing those efforts across the Southeast in my new role at Burr & Forman,” Canfield said.

Based in Birmingham, Burr & Forman has 20 offices across Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.