Baker & McKenzie's London office is sounding out its partnership about who should be its managing partner when incumbent Gary Senior's term ends next year.

Corporate partner Jane Hobson and tax partner Geoffrey Kay have been informally consulting partners about their views on Senior and potential replacements for him. The firm generally avoids contested elections and it is expected that Senior will be asked to serve a second term.

It is understood that Senior will decide before the end of the year whether he wants to stay in the post.

He was initially appointed managing partner in 2003 for a three-year period, but has already agreed to extend his term until September 2007.

The soundings coincide with elections to the London management committee, which works alongside Senior. Corporate partners Clive Cook and Beatriz Pessoa de Araujo have been re-elected onto the committee, which also includes projects partner Mike Webster (who will be up for re-election next year), chief finance officer John Raimbach, HR director Christine Lynch and partnership secretary Bob Wells.

Partners are elected on to the committee for two-year terms.

Last month the London office announced a 10.5% increase in its profits per partner average to £526,000 compared from £476,000. Turnover increased by 9% for the year with revenue reaching £100.4m – up from £92.1m in 2005.

Bakers is also carrying out wider consultations of the partner-ship to decide on two replacement members for its eight-member global executive committee. Consultations on the openings are being carried out by Baker's nominating committee.

The two positions up for grabs are the European post currently held by former London managing partner Russell Lewin and the South American position. Partners are generally appointed for three-year terms, with new com mit tee members announced at the partnership conference in October.