Simmons & Simmons is in a strong position to challenge the top five City firms, the firm's managing partner elect has told Legal Week.
In his first interview since being elected managing partner, David Dickinson says Simmons will strengthen its corporate and banking practices and will continue to promote its other successful practices such as employment and environment.
Dickinson is taking charge of Simmons at a crucial time for the firm, which has lost a host of its rainmaking partners. He describes suggestions from rivals that Simmons will be forced to merge before the year is out as "extraordinary".
He says the partnership remains committed to moving into its new offices in the City Point development next year and insists the reforms started by out-going managing director Alan Morris, which includes restructuring the partnership's system of remuneration from lockstep to full merit-based equity, will be completed.
Dickinson takes over from Morris as managing partner in May and is understood to be planning to launch an aggressive recruitment campaign.
The firm has already recruited Dibb Lupton Alsop insolvency partner Peter Manning and sources say the firm is in the market for several new partners.
See News Analysis page 8.