DLA Piper's UK managing partner Andrew Darwin is relocating to Australia to become managing partner of the firm's Australian arm.

The new role, which Darwin will take up in March, will see him work alongside Asia-Pacific managing director Bob Charlton, freeing up the latter to concentrate on matters across Asia.

Australia senior partner Tony Holland will now take up the role of chairman and will report to Darwin once he begins his initial two-year term. Partners were informed of the management shake-up via an internal memo at the start of the month.

With no immediate replacement lined up, the firm has launched a consultation to find Darwin's successor.

Darwin, who will continue in his role as DLA's chief operating officer from Sydney, took up the post of UK managing partner last April, replacing David Bradley, who returned to full-time practice in the firm's employment, pensions and benefits group.

Darwin is also the firm's former managing director for groups and services, with responsibility for leading the firm's practice groups and support services across Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

His new role will see him tasked with leading the Australian branch of DLA Piper, which was created two years ago when the firm merged with its local ally DLA Phillips Fox.

The tie-up, combined with a decision to include revenues for both the firm's US and international arms, has helped DLA rise to second in the Global 100 law firm rankings by revenue, just behind Baker & McKenzie.

Darwin's appointment is the latest change to DLA's Asia-Pacific management structure.

Charlton took up the Asia-Pacific leadership role in April last year, succeeding Alastair Da Costa, who has taken a consultant role at the firm while also completing a masters at the London School of Economics.

News of Darwin's departure from the UK follows a review of the UK business that has prompted a redundancy consultation involving 251 staff.

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