Mishcon de Reya has kicked off the process for electing its managing partner, with current leader Kevin Gold indicating to the partnership he is willing to stand for the role for a final term.
Corporate lawyer Gold (pictured) first became managing partner in 1997. He previously served as corporate head from 1995 after joining the firm with his team from London commercial firm Bayer Rosin that same year.
With his current three-year term coming to an end at the end of this month, the firm has begun the election process whereby two members of management may put their names forward. The firm’s management team includes Gold, executive partner James Libson, chief operating officer Bambos Georgiou, and all department heads.
Gold is currently standing unopposed for the role and has indicated to the board that, if appointed, this will be his final term. However candidates have the until 4 November to put their names forward.
In 2013 Mishcon held it’s first-ever management elections for both the managing partner and department head positions, during which Gold was re-appointed after an uncontested election alongside disputes head Kas Nouroozi and corporate head Nick Davis.
Speaking to Legal Business, Gold says the firm ‘engages in a huge amount of dialogue’ during the process.
During his tenure Gold has overseen substantive growth for the City firm, which announced robust profits for the 2015/16 financial year with profit per equity partner up 5% to £1m as revenue in London climbed to £127.9m from £110m. Revenue has soared an impressive 104% over the last five years.
Following a year-long consultation with the partnership and external advisers, the 400-lawyer firm revealed a refreshed strategy for the next decade, with a target to lift UK revenue by 40% to £175m within the next three years.
Under Gold’s leadership the firm has also rolled out a private client business and e-discovery venture in recent years, while its New York office – a separate business which generated around $13m annually – was scaled back to a patent-only practice. Gold also oversaw the firm’s move to a full-equity LLP structure and its office move to Africa House in Kingsway.
Other firm election news of late includes Eversheds which in early October saw the appointment of Lee Ranson to chief executive where he will succeed longstanding leader Brian Hughes.
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
Read more on Mishcon’s leader in: ‘Life During Law – Kevin Gold’
