Given the amount of time I spend hanging out with managing partners it’s not unusual to be asked by law firms how they could tweak their governance or how they stack up against peers.
In one such recent conversation, I got to thinking about how best to prepare the new managing partner for the culture shock of moving from the clear purpose of a revenue-generating role to the ambiguous job spec of running a law firm. Continue reading “Advice for the new managing partner: don’t consult, just do”
Jaishree Kalia reports on the uneasy peace still hanging over the post-merger Ashurst
It’s been over eight months since Charlie Geffen, the high-profile head of Ashurst, suffered a bruising leadership defeat to litigator Ben Tidswell (pictured) in the wake of the City firm’s merger vote with its Australian partner.
There was no doubt the election defeat of the strong-willed Geffen, who divided the City firm’s partnership into staunch supporters and embittered opponents, and the legacy of its merger with Australian leader Blake Dawson had unsettled the firm. The discharge of Geffen as the ‘war-time’ leader who carried the firm’s strategy and brand through the post-Lehman years is still hard to take for some, while the merger has not convinced everyone. The somewhat ill-tempered resignation in November of highly rated corporate co-head Stephen Lloyd for Allen & Overy (A&O) was an all-too visible sign of that tension – and the lack of engagement felt by the ‘boys’ club’ in Ashurst’s corporate finance teams.
Travers Smith has overhauled the management of its private equity, financial services & markets, real estate, and banking and corporate recovery departments as longstanding partners Phil Sanderson, Margaret Chamberlain, Julian Bass and Jeremy Walsh step down. Continue reading “Management overhaul at Travers Smith with appointment of four new department heads”
I call it the hollow middle, but Knowledge@Wharton prefers ‘disappearing middle.’ Here’s what, writing in their pages, the CEO of the Cambridge Group, identified as ‘a growth strategy consulting firm that is part of Nielsen,’ has to say about it. Continue reading “Guest post: The hollow middle since 2008”
Clifford Chance (CC) is expected to vote next month on cutting down its 16-strong management committee as part of newly-appointed global managing partner Matthew Layton’s election manifesto. Continue reading “Leadership overhaul for Clifford Chance as partners prepare to vote on Manco cut”
He’s been a long time at the top but, having transformed London stalwart Norton Rose into a global challenger, he is not ready to hand over just yet. Yes, Norton Rose Fulbright’s longstanding chief executive Peter Martyr is being widely tipped to stand in the legal giant’s upcoming election for its top leadership role. Continue reading “Norton Rose Fulbright’s Martyr set to stand in upcoming global leadership election”
Alexander ‘Sandy’ Thomas has been elected as global managing partner at Reed Smith after John Martini, vice-chair of the firm’s global business and finance department, challenged his position less than a year into the role.
As co-CEOs David Harris and Warren Gorrell enter their final weeks leading the partnership at transatlantic firm Hogan Lovells, newly-elected sole CEO Steve Immelt is putting relationship building high on his list of priorities, alongside harder objectives such as further global expansion and fine-tuning the firm’s remuneration system. Continue reading “‘We’ve got to complete the unification process’: Hogan Lovells incoming CEO and deputy talk strategy”
Pinsent Masons senior partner Chris Mullen will next month face construction head challenger Richard Foley in the first contested elections at the top 20 firm since David Ryan was voted in as managing partner in 1998. Continue reading “Contested senior partner elections at Pinsent Masons as Chris Mullen challenged by head of construction”
As Washington DC-based Steve Immelt next month takes over the reins from Hogan Lovells co-chief executives David Harris and Warren Gorrell, the disputes lawyer talks to Legal Business about the strategy going forward and partner ambition.
How did your appointment come about?
I wasn’t a part of the soundings process, but the board had talked to practically every partner in the firm to get their views – it was a comprehensive effort to get a sense of the partnership, which was invaluable.The board asked a number of people if they would consider the position. I was asked and decided I would. Continue reading “Q&A with Hogan Lovells new chief executive Steve Immelt”
