City firms Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Travers Smith have overhauled senior management, with each seeing new appointments to the top roles.
Head of technology and outsourcing Michael Chissick has been named FFW’s new managing partner, replacing Matthew Lohn, who will take up the re-introduced role of senior partner.
Chissick said: ‘I am leading the firm through a transformation. We want to move away from the negative market perception and create a firm culture that is modern and forward thinking.’
Lohn will focus on driving the business forward, developing the firm’s clientele and generating a strong external profile. He will also chair the firm’s supervisory board. FFW abolished the senior partner role in January 2012 because, according to Chissick, ‘the previous leaders were not acting in the best interest of the business’.
FFW’s previous strategic objective was to merge, but after two unsuccessful attempts – with Osborne Clarke in November 2012 and Lawrence Graham in May that same year – the firm has distanced itself from this approach.
‘The firm’s strategy is to be the best, or amongst the best.’
Chris Hale, Travers Smith
Chissick maintains that the changes in leadership are not a response to the failed mergers. Last year FFW’s revenue was up 4% to £97.6m and revenue per lawyer was £253,000, with PEP coming in at £434,000.
Meanwhile, Travers Smith has also made changes to its leadership team. Corporate head Chris Hale was appointed senior partner following news that Chris Carroll is stepping down after more than ten years in senior management.
In his new role, Hale aims to focus on business development, client relationships and developing the firm’s service offering and has already moved to re-jig the firm’s sector focus.
Hale said: ‘The firm’s strategy is to be the best, or amongst the best, in the areas of practice on which it focuses, advising principally on English law from one main financial centre, London. This model is shared by two other law firms in particular, Slaughter and May and Macfarlanes.’
In his previous role, Hale spent most of his time on corporate deals, which will be significantly reduced as a senior role requires more hands-on management work. Hale became head of the corporate group in 2003 and made partner at the firm in 1987. His new role will commence on 1 July, after Carroll’s three-year term completes mid-year. Head of corporate finance Spencer Summerfield will succeed Hale as corporate head.