Election fever: Sandelson re-elected as disputes chief as global MP vote draws near

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Set against the wider backdrop of its global managing partner contest, Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance has re-elected Jeremy Sandelson as global head of the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice in an uncontested election.

Having been in the role since 2009, Sandelson will serve a second four-year term. His pedigree in management with the firm is long-established, as the disputes chief previously acted as managing partner of the London litigation practice in 2003, and regional managing partner for the UK and the Middle East from 2005. Continue reading “Election fever: Sandelson re-elected as disputes chief as global MP vote draws near”

Layton leads the field as CC set for managing partner election

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The race to fill the shoes of Clifford Chance (CC)’s longstanding global managing partner David Childs has reached a decisive stage, with the initially reluctant Matthew Layton widely cited as the favourite as the firm takes soundings on potential candidates.

Layton is widely tipped to be running alongside three other likely candidates: Paris-based office managing partner and M&A corporate specialist Yves Wehrli; global head of tax, pensions and employment David Harkness; and City-based banking and finance partner Andrew Carnegie. Continue reading “Layton leads the field as CC set for managing partner election”

Layton leads the field as CC set for managing partner election

Posted on |

The race to fill the shoes of Clifford Chance (CC)’s longstanding global managing partner David Childs has reached a decisive stage, with the initially reluctant Matthew Layton widely cited as the favourite as the firm takes soundings on potential candidates.

Layton is widely tipped to be running alongside three other likely candidates: Paris-based office managing partner and M&A corporate specialist Yves Wehrli; global head of tax, pensions and employment David Harkness; and City-based banking and finance partner Andrew Carnegie. Continue reading “Layton leads the field as CC set for managing partner election”

Sailing for Boston – Freshfields’ managing partner quits to join US buyout house

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One of the most respected law firm leaders in the City has called it a day ahead of time with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s managing partner Ted Burke today (30 September) confirming his decision to leave the Magic Circle firm. The move, which sees Burke stand down a year early, was announced internally today. Continue reading “Sailing for Boston – Freshfields’ managing partner quits to join US buyout house”

Approved: Ashurst achieves full financial integration and single profit pool

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Ashurst today (26 September) effectively threw down the gauntlet to a number of its newly-merged competitors by announcing it has ‘overwhelmingly’ voted in favour of full financial integration with Blake Dawson, including agreeing on a single profit pool.

The united firm will operate a managed lockstep and will have a single unified management structure operating globally under the Ashurst brand, after Blake Dawson rebranded as Ashurst Australia. Continue reading “Approved: Ashurst achieves full financial integration and single profit pool”

Herbert Smith Freehills to have a new CEO next year as Bell and Willis step down

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David Willis and Gavin Bell, joint chief executive officers at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), have announced today (24 September) that they will step down from their roles next Spring.

Willis’ term as managing partner was expected to end in April this year but he agreed to a one-year extension following the merger of Herbert Smith and Freehills last autumn. Bell has been managing partner of Freehills since 1995 but due to serious health issues earlier this year, from which he has fully recovered, he has decided to step down and spend more time with his family.

Continue reading “Herbert Smith Freehills to have a new CEO next year as Bell and Willis step down”

Ashurst gears up for new chairman election as Oz merger vote is brought forward

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As Ashurst nears a crucial vote on full integration with Australian partner Blake Dawson – now known as Ashurst Australia – the firm’s partners are also poised to elect the firm’s next chairman.

Partners were informed this morning (23 September) that Ashurst dispute resolution partner Ben Tidswell and Ashurst Australia competition and consumer protection partner Peter Armitage will be running for the role alongside current senior partner Charlie Geffen, whose role will be replaced by the new chairman position.

Continue reading “Ashurst gears up for new chairman election as Oz merger vote is brought forward”

One trick pony – BLP to retain MLS in wake of partner departures

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‘Two people leaving doesn’t mean the whole business collapses,’ says Neville Eisenberg, Berwin Leighton Paisner’s (BLP) managing partner of 14 years, of the latest departures to hit the firm and, in particular, its Managed Legal Services (MLS) division.

MLS, which has struggled to make any headway in its model of absorbing in-house teams and effectively taking over the running of their legal function, has lost Patrick Somers, Thames Water’s relationship partner who helped to lead the project, as it also emerged that the firm’s star lateral hire Andrew Bamber, an acquisition finance partner who joined from Allen & Overy in 2009, has left the firm. Continue reading “One trick pony – BLP to retain MLS in wake of partner departures”

Full speed ahead – Ashurst puts in place joint corporate structure as full integration looms

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As Ashurst proceeds headlong towards its October vote on full financial integration with Asia Pac’s Blake Dawson the firm has put in place a democratic corporate structure that sees current managing partner (MP) James Collis confirmed as global MP of the merged entity.

Many of the appointments are expected; Ashurst Australia’s managing partner John Carrington will retain that role, although more of a surprise is the fact that the senior partner title currently held by Charlie Geffen will disappear, to be replaced on a new-look joint board by an elected chairman and vice chairman, who must come from different legacy firms (a betting person might suggest Geffen and Ashurst Australia’s chairman Mary Padbury are naturals for the roles.) Continue reading “Full speed ahead – Ashurst puts in place joint corporate structure as full integration looms”

It’s now or… later. Hogan Lovells to make decision on dual chief executive structure

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Hogan Lovells’ senior management has begun discussions over whether to retain the firm’s dual US-UK chief executive (CEO) structure or continue with a single head if UK CEO David Harris steps down as expected next year.

Harris and US counterpart Warren Gorrell have opened the discussion on succession plans with the transatlantic firm’s board, which in turn will canvass the appetite of partners to move to a single leader now the merger of UK firm Lovells and Washington DC’s Hogan & Hartson is three years down the line.

Continue reading “It’s now or… later. Hogan Lovells to make decision on dual chief executive structure”