TLT’s managing partner David Pester has been reappointed for a fifth three-year term following an uncontested election process, the firm announced today (28 April).
Pester (pictured) first took over the lead role in 2002, having qualified in 1987 at legacy Lawrence Tucketts – where he also headed the corporate team – which later merged with fellow Bristol firm Trumps in 2000 to form TLT.
Since 2002 the top 60 firm has more than tripled in size with revenues predicted internally to exceed £55m in 2014/15 and staff numbers likely to touch 1000 in the next 12-18 months. Over a five-year period from 2008-13 its revenues grew by 21%, while in 2012/13 revenue rose by 10% from £44.5m to £50m, with financial services counting for 40% of its turnover, leisure for just short of 20% and retail for just shy of 15%.
Commenting on his re-appointment and objectives for the next three years, Pester said: ‘TLT continues to grow by focusing on building scale and deepening areas of legal expertise around the specific needs of clients.
‘In the current market, this means responding to client cost pressures by constantly looking at how we build expertise and deliver it more efficiently. It means having the flexibility to respond to clients when and where they need you and, it means being open and proactive in the way you collaborate with others to deliver.’
Robert Bourns, who has held the role of senior partner since 2002, said: ‘Consistent strong leadership has been integral to TLT’s success. David’s reappointment will help cement this success and ensure the business continues to grow and transform in response to client need.’
This comes after the Law Society announced last week (24 April) that Bourns has been elected as the body’s deputy vice president, with the expectation that he will become president in 2016. The employment specialist was one of seven candidates to put themselves forward for the role.
Six-office TLT has been in expansion mode in the last couple of years, most recently taking on a 30-strong Irwin Mitchell team, including former commercial litigation head John Lord to bolster its fledgling Manchester office, which launched last July with the appointment of former Pinsent Masons legal director and commercial litigator Emma Flower and former DLA Piper Manchester head of commercial law Stuart Campbell.
In 2012 it opened an office in Belfast and separately in Glasgow and Edinburgh following the firm’s merger with Scottish firm Anderson Fyfe.
francesca.fanshawe@legalease.co.uk