SJ Berwin City litigator Hilton Mervis is to go head-to-head with EU and competition head Stephen Kon for the firm's senior partner position, after the nomination period closed last week.

Mervis (pictured) confirmed he was standing for election last week, after Legal Week reported that Kon had become the first candidate to put himself forward to replace current post-holder Jonathan Blake in the role on 13 February.

The pair now have around a month to promote their respective platforms to the partnership, with a vote to be held in March, and the winner announced in early April. The successful candidate will replace Blake from 1 May, after he opted not to stand for a third term in the role.

For Mervis, the bid marks a second attempt to join the top 20 City firm's management team, as he also stood unsuccessfully for the managing partner role in 2010, losing out to winner Rob Day and runner up Perry Yam.

Mervis, who is especially well-known for his practice in private equity dispute resolution, currently heads SJ Berwin's international litigation and fraud team and coordinates the cross-departmental private equity and partnership dispute resolution group.

Some partners had expected further contestants to throw their hat in the ring with names floated including litigation group head Craig Pollack, who is currently on a sabbatical from the firm.

As previously reported by Legal Week, Kon is seen as the most likely successor to Blake given his longstanding role coordinating the firm's international strategy.

He resigned last year with the intention of joining US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy's London office but was persuaded by Blake to stay on at the firm.

Blake was voted in as senior partner in 2005, replacing David Harrel. He was most recently re-elected for a three-year term in 2008 in an uncontested vote, with the term formally starting in 2009. SJ Berwin does not have a cap on the number of terms its senior partner can serve.