Hammonds is set for a contested election process as potential managing partner candidates to replace Peter Crossley emerge.

It is unclear whether Crossley (pictured), whose second three-year term at the firm's helm comes to a close in May 2011, is set to stand again; however, a number of partners are currently being touted as candidates.

Names being linked with the role include corporate head William Downs, tax head Bernhard Gilbey, COO Sue Nickson, London head Robert Weekes and head of disputes Simon Miller.

Downs has been a partner since 1989 and currently serves as head of both corporate and energy and utilities. Nickson became partner and head of employment in 1991, served as human capital group head from 1998-2009 and took up the COO post in 2008.

Meanwhile Gilbey, who became partner in 1998 and now heads up the tax group, was a full-time executive on the partnership board between 2006 and 2008 and was responsible for the design and implementation of the firm's strategy.

Weekes joined the Hammonds partnership in 2001, becoming London head in 2008. Miller successfully represented the firm in its long-running profits dispute against former partners and served as Leeds office head for two years until 2009, before taking up the post of disputes head.

The official election process is due to start in the autumn, with the successful candidate taking up the post from May 2011.

Former litigation chief Crossley was re-appointed in 2008 for a second term as managing partner in an uncontested election. He is widely credited with steering Hammonds through its most challenging period in recent history.

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