Clifford Chance (CC) has begun hunting for a new global corporate head following the decision of chief operating officer David Childs to stand down from the role.

The firm will elect a new corporate leader next month, among indications that candidates include several partners from outside the UK as well as London managing partner Peter Charlton and London head of corporate David Pearson.

Paris managing partner Yves Wehrli, German corporate head Andreas Dietzel and New York corporate partner John Healy have all been cited as candidates for the position, although so far no partners have expressed an interest. A contested election would see candidates submit 'manifestos' to the partnership. The process is due to take around six to eight weeks and should be completed at the end of April.

The appointment of a non-UK head of corporate would be symbolic for the firm, which also relocated managing partner Peter Cornell to New York last year.

One corporate partner said: "It might be a good thing to have a head outside the UK as it would demonstrate the linkage [of the offices], but it would also be disadvantageous as most of our work emanates from the UK."

Childs, who was originally appointed to head the department in 2000, informed partners of his decision at CC's partnership conference earlier this month.

Childs told Legal Week: "I have felt for a little while that I have not been putting enough time into the practice area. I raised it a number of times but people asked me to keep doing it."