US giant White & Case is set to reappoint incumbent managing partner Duane Wall in a move that will bring in a new member to its global management committee.

A senior White & Case partner told Legal Week that the recently-appointed eight-member management committee is almost certain to back Wall for a second four-year term.

The partner commented: "Wall will be re-elected in a couple of weeks and officially start his new term on 1 April. He would probably resign if he was not voted back in for another term."

Wall was voted onto the management committee in the recent elections, but it will be down to his seven colleagues whether or not to back him for a further term, or decide to turn to someone else.
If, as expected, Wall is appointed, he will stand down from the committee and the partner with the highest number of votes who failed in last month's board election will fill his position.

Twenty-seven partners in total stood for the eight places, with all of the management board standing for re-election.

The chance to add another new partner to the board will also give a final opportunity to add more European partners to the eight-member group, although one insider suggested Wall's replacement would be another New York-based partner.

Previously there were two European partners on the board, with the current election putting in place three: Philip Stopford in London; Gilles Peigney in Paris; and Hamburg-based Eberhard Meincke.