Heavyweights up for Freshfields SP; CC to name City M&A head

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer chief executive Ted Burke and financial institutions group head Will Lawes will go head to head for the senior partner position as the firm gears up to elect new management later this year.

Burke and Lawes have emerged as the only two candidates to confirm their intention to stand for senior partner after the firm last week confirmed its shortlist of candidates.

Other partners to be shortlisted after nominations from the partnership include competition partner Deirdre Trapp and former global corporate head Andreas Fabritius; however, Burke and Lawes will be the only two to continue to the next stage.

It is understood that other strong contenders for the role, such as London corporate head Mark Rawlinson, decided not to run.

The upcoming partnership conference in September will be used as a forum for candidates to put forward their manifestos, with a vote expected shortly after.

The senior partner will then appoint a new management team, replacing the chief executive role vacated by Burke, whose five-year term comes to an end next year, and managing partner Peter Jeffcote, who is also stepping down.

Earlier this year the firm opted to phase out its legacy dual senior partner model in favour of a single position when incumbents Guy Morton and Konstantin Mettenheimer step down later this year.

The news comes as Clifford Chance is set to elect a new London corporate head for the first time in seven years. Current head David Pearson has served two terms in the role, having first been elected in 2003, and will not stand again.

Simon Tinkler, who is also the department's HR partner, and Kathy Honeywood, who holds key relationships with clients including Chinalco, will compete in an election to be held shortly, after the magic circle firm's four-partner nominations committee sounded out partners.

Additional reporting by Sofia Lind.