Berwin Leighton Paisner’s Neville Eisenberg, set to be replaced by employment head Lisa Mayhew as managing partner on 1 May, has been elected senior partner for a four-year term starting that same day.
After 16 years as managing partner and following an uncontested election, Eisenberg will succeed Harold Paisner, who has been in the senior partner role since the merger that formed Berwin Leighton Paisner in 2001. Paisner is understood to not be retiring from the firm and will take up a new role.
Eisenberg led BLP’s transformation into a global law firm with 12 offices in 10 countries, though his reputation was knocked by the firm’s poor financial performance in 2012/13 which saw profits per partner (PEP) nosedive nearly 40% to £401,000. He has since led the firm’s recovery, with the firm’s financial performance in 2013/14 much improved, as revenues rose helping to drag PEP up to £542,000.
However, he announced his decision to step down from the managing partner role at the end of last year, though with the intention of seeking Paisner’s position. His tenure at BLP saw the firm invest in innovation and saw the development of the firm’s integrated client service model to dissect complex from commoditised work, a nearsourcing hub in Manchester and rent-a-lawyer service Lawyers On Demand.
Eisenberg commented: ‘In my new role I am looking forward to concentrating on the firm’s international business, client development and separately managed businesses and I am delighted to have this opportunity to continue to be part of BLP’s amazing success story’.
Chairman Robert MacGregor added: ‘I am delighted BLP will have the benefit of Neville’s vast experience in his new role as senior partner. He has proven his leadership qualities during a turbulent time in the industry and played a pivotal role in BLP’s success. Committed to both clients and innovation, he has challenged us to deliver legal services in ways which better suit the needs of our clients. My thanks go to Harold for his dedicated service to the firm over 14 years as Senior Partner.’
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
