Eversheds chairman Alan Jenkins has lost a contested election for his position and is set to be replaced by international disputes head John Heaps.

Heaps will take up a four-year term as chairman from 1 May, having seen off competition from Jenkins, transport chief and former London head Cornelius Medvei and Cardiff head Alan Meredith.

Heaps (pictured) said: "It is a very great privilege to have been elected to become the next chairman of Eversheds. My priorities will be to continue the important work of raising our City and international profile, to provide an additional link between the partners and the firm's leadership and to help to exploit our skills and sector knowledge.

"I would like to pay a personal tribute to Alan Jenkins for his superb chairmanship of the firm during a time when our international and City practices and profiles have grown significantly."

The management reshuffle comes after Jenkins chaired the firm for two three-year terms. He was first elected in 2004 and was re-elected in an uncontested vote in 2007. The position will now be capped at two four-year terms.

Eversheds overhauled its management structure last year with the chairman role split into three parts, with Jenkins remaining head of Eversheds LLP, while former chief executive David Gray was appointed to the new role of chairman of Eversheds International and Stephen Hopkins assumed Jenkins' head of international role.

Jenkins has not announced what he will do next. Heaps will combine the chairmanship with fee-earning.

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