The 450-strong partnership at Linklaters gathered today at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London to pass through the appointment of Gideon Moore as the Magic Circle firm’s new managing partner.
The vote ratifies the partnership board’s decision, taken earlier this month, which proposed Moore as the firm’s successor to Simon Davies. Currently heading the firm’s global banking practice, which represents around 20% of the firm’s income, Moore has been handed a four-term term as managing partner.
Moore said: ‘I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead a firm like Linklaters, which over its 175-plus year history has developed a reputation for excellence, operating at the highest level, and so often at the cutting edge of complexity and innovation, for many of the world’s leading businesses and organisations. It is not something I take for granted.
‘We are at our best when our people collaborate effectively, looking forward and outwards in the interest of our clients. And so my job will focus on creating the best conditions for this firm to excel – delivering an outstanding client experience; investing to manage our matters ever more efficiently; ensuring that we are able to support our clients around the world with our uniform top level advice; and by making Linklaters an ever better place to work, where our people can perform to the best of their abilities and thrive in their careers.’
Senior partner Robert Elliott added: ‘Gideon is an outstanding lawyer with proven management and leadership qualities. His election comes after a tremendously positive and collegiate process and marks the next phase in the firm’s development, which I believe Gideon is ideally suited to lead.’
The election, which was triggered early due to Davies’ surprise decision to join Lloyds Banking Group in early 2016, saw Moore pip dispute resolution head Michael Bennett and Asia managing partner Marc Harvey to the post.
Moore emerged as the strongest candidate for the managing partner post after the elimination of finance and projects head Michael Kent, western Europe managing partner Pieter Riemer and co-head of operational intelligence Tom Shropshire from the race at the end of September.
Sheffield-born Moore has led Linklaters global banking group since 2011 and his tilt at the top job was boosted recently by his reappointment to the role, despite his candidacy for the managing partner post. The oldest and the most experienced of the final candidates, Moore was the only partner on the final shortlist not to have been trained at Linklaters, having started his career as a barrister before stints at Magic Circle rival Clifford Chance and DLA Piper.
Having spent all of his Linklaters career at Silk Street, Moore has a large following in London after his time in charge of the banking group. Before becoming banking chief, Moore spent 10 years as head of leveraged finance with partnership board member Nick Syson.
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
