Bakers agrees landmark deal to unite bulk of Euro business in one profit pool but Franco/German axis holds out

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Bakers agrees landmark deal to unite bulk of Euro business in one profit pool but Franco/German axis holds out

Baker McKenzie is to bring London and seven of its offices in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) into one profit pool as the firm moves towards full financial integration in the region.

Global antitrust chief Fiona Carlin has been elected to lead the integrated business, uniting 1,000 lawyers in the City, Brussels, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Johannesburg, Bahrain and Qatar. Continue reading “Bakers agrees landmark deal to unite bulk of Euro business in one profit pool but Franco/German axis holds out”

Corporate v litigation: Palmer to contest HSF senior partner election against disputes head Shillito

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In an announcement that will do little to bridge the long-running divide between the firm’s transactional and contentious branches, Herbert Smith Freehills’ (HSF) senior partner election will see incumbent corporate partner James Palmer go head to head against dispute resolution chief Mark Shillito.

Nominations for the election closed today (23 February), with the vote slated to take place during the second week of March. There will be just one round of voting as there are just two candidates, with the winner requiring over 50% of the vote to be successful. Continue reading “Corporate v litigation: Palmer to contest HSF senior partner election against disputes head Shillito”

DLA whittles senior partner race to three-way contest as elections grip the City

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DLA whittles senior partner race to three-way contest as elections grip the City

Hamish McNicol looks at the frontrunners amid a bumper season of senior leadership changes

DLA Piper is making up for lost time in its first senior partner election in a decade. The month-long process, which initially involved eight candidates, two voting stages and ten days of hustings, has been heralded by the firm as showing its breadth and depth, but has also raised eyebrows. Continue reading “DLA whittles senior partner race to three-way contest as elections grip the City”

Being great at one thing is not enough – remaking a City leader for the times

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Being great at one thing is not enough – remaking a City leader for the times

LB: What have been the big wins for Herbert Smith Freehills [HSF] over the last two years?

Mark Rigotti (MR): It has been the shift from integration. That’s by definition backwards-looking so it’s good to move on. We’ve been strengthening some of the smaller offices. We’re different from the Magic Circle that have long-established European practices. We’ve grown about 50% in five years in mainland Europe. The German, Madrid and Paris offices are all significantly bigger. There are more European clients and more leadership positions going to Europeans. That’s a big cultural shift. Continue reading “Being great at one thing is not enough – remaking a City leader for the times”

Natural selection: Darwin’s evolution to DLA Piper senior partner ‘only fitting’

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Natural selection: Darwin’s evolution to DLA Piper senior partner ‘only fitting’

DLA Piper has elected firm veteran Andrew Darwin its new senior partner after last year’s surprise departure of Juan Picón sparked the firm’s first contested senior partner election in a decade.

Darwin has been at DLA his entire career since joining in 1981, and previously held management roles within the firm including chief operating officer, head of corporate, and managing partner in the UK and Australia. He beat London-based international corporate head Bob Bishop and corporate partner John Hayes to the role following 10 days of hustings by the three finalists . Continue reading “Natural selection: Darwin’s evolution to DLA Piper senior partner ‘only fitting’”

And then there were three: DLA Piper senior partner finalists named

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DLA Piper’s first senior partner contest in a decade is down to three candidates after the first round of voting closed on Friday (26 January).

London-based international corporate head Bob Bishop, emerging markets managing director Andrew Darwin, and corporate partner Jon Hayes now face 10 days of hustings before the firm’s new senior partner is announced on 12 February. Continue reading “And then there were three: DLA Piper senior partner finalists named”

Parkinson stays away from SFO director race to take senior partner role at Kingsley Napley

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Parkinson stays away from SFO director race to take senior partner role at Kingsley Napley

Despite calls for him to succeed David Green as the new director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), heavyweight white-collar crime specialist Stephen Parkinson will become senior partner of Kingsley Napley on 1 May.

As a result of Parkinson’s elevation, disputes partner Louise Hodges will take over his role as head of the firm’s top-ranked criminal litigation practice. Continue reading “Parkinson stays away from SFO director race to take senior partner role at Kingsley Napley”

On your marks: eight DLA Piper partners line up in tight senior partner race

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A large pool of partners have entered DLA Piper’s first contested senior partner race in a decade following last year’s surprise departure of Juan Picón to Latham & Watkins.

Eight partners, including five from London, will vie to replace Picón in a two-stage election process which will whittle the candidates down to the most popular three before the new senior partner is announced 12 February. Continue reading “On your marks: eight DLA Piper partners line up in tight senior partner race”

More reshuffling as Hogan Lovells appoints new chair while Travers Smith confirms Patient managing partner

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As the January senior appointments merry-go-round at City and global law firms continues, Hogan Lovells has announced a new chair while Travers Smith has re-elected David Patient as managing partner.

In a move that brings its German practice in the spotlight, Hogan Lovells has announced that Hamburg-based Leopold von Gerlach will replace Nicholas Cheffings as chair of the board on 1 May for a three-year term. Continue reading “More reshuffling as Hogan Lovells appoints new chair while Travers Smith confirms Patient managing partner”

Management moves: succession planning in train at Burges Salmon and Fladgate 

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Management moves: succession planning in train at Burges Salmon and Fladgate 

Two senior figures at Legal Business 100 firms Burges Salmon and Fladgate will see their tenures come to an end in the coming months as the firms announce a new managing partner and chairman respectively.

Bristol-headquartered Burges Salmon has appointed head of employment Roger Bull its new managing partner, replacing Peter Morris, effective from May. Continue reading “Management moves: succession planning in train at Burges Salmon and Fladgate “