Addleshaw Goddard managing partner John Joyce is to stand for re-election for a second term beginning May 2017, it was revealed at the end of November as partners at the firm voted to acquire HBJ Gateley’s three Scottish offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Joyce, who was appointed into the role in May 2014 for a three-year term, is hoping to serve another four years as managing partner, following recent changes to the firm’s partnership deed that extended the terms of both managing partner and senior partner by a year.
A formal election process will begin in December, with the result finalised by the end of February.
At the moment there does not appear to be much appetite for a contested election at the firm. Regarding another four years of Joyce, one partner said: ‘With Brexit still out there a period of continuity and stability is probably not a bad thing.’
Joyce seeks a new term at the helm at the same time as the partnership voted through a merger with HBJ Gateley. HBJ, which is not part of the English plc due to different rules over alternative business structures in Scotland, had a turnover of £21.9m in 2015/16, making it the eighth-largest Scottish firm by revenue.
The timing of the merger approval is particularly fortunate for Joyce, whose leadership thus far has been defined by merger attempts. While HBJ is a respected Scottish outfit, talks with the more prestigious Glasgow firm Maclay Murray & Spens were called off at the beginning of 2016. The firm is also currently in merger talks with Virginia-based Hunton & Williams.
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk