The global head of corporate surprised his partners earlier this year by announcing that he was stepping down from the role - which for anyone else should be the pinnacle of their career as a transactional lawyer - to focus on being the embattled firm's chief operating officer. This is a man who likes a challenge: he's found the biggest one in business law, anywhere.

The grit it will take to make CC's long-held global gamble pay off is phenomenal. Others have fallen by the wayside trying: think of those otherwise capable US lawyers hired by the firm who balked at the prospect and scuttled, taking their millions with them.

Now, though, Childs holds a guillotine lever in one hand and a whip in the other. Get working, CC. So far £40m has been lopped off total costs and profits are creeping back up. Thud, crack, he's away.

Loyalty to the cause within the management floor of Clifford Chance's headquarters has always been something to behold. For the 3,200 lawyers indebted to it around the world: work lavishly or work elsewhere is the mantra coming from Childs, a towering man who knows he's on a roll. The original Legal Business 100 giant won't relinquish its top spot without a fight.

Any takers?

Tom Freeman, Editor