Slaughter and May has elected head of dispute resolution Richard Clark as its new executive partner, succeeding current post-holder Graham White.

Clark will take up a four-year term from 1 May 2013, taking responsibility for the firm's overall management strategy, covering issues relating to people, compliance, finance and systems.

He will work alongside senior partner Chris Saul and practice partner Paul Olney, whose terms run until 30 April 2016.

Clark, who will maintain his client relationships, joined Slaughters as a trainee in 1982 and became partner in 1991. He will be replaced in his role as disputes head by Deborak Finkler, who was made a commercial litigation partner in 1991 and served on the partnership board between 2005 and 2008.

White, who was first appointed to the executive partner role in 2008, will retire from the firm at the end of April 2013. It is understood that he only ever intended to carry out one term in the position.

Saul and Olney will continue for a second term in their respective roles for a shortened term of three years following a consultation by the board this spring, which found partners happy for the duo to continue in their roles, with no formal vote required.