Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer global managing partner Ted burke has announced he is retiring from the firm after eight years in the role.

Burke will take up a new role as GC and COO of Arclight Captial, an energy-focused private equity firm based in his home town of Boston.

He will be replaced at Freshfields by London antitrust partner David Aitman, who will take on managing partner responsibilities from early 2014.

Burke was prevoiously chief executive at the magic circle firm before the role was phased out in 2010 in favour of a new leadership structure. Will Lawes took up the role of senior partner in 2011 after a contested partnership vote against Burke, with Burke later appointed managing partner in place of Peter Jeffcote.

Aitman joined Freshfields in 2001 and was co-head of the global antitrust, competition and trade (ACT) practice from 2006 before stepping down in 2010. He is currently the senior elected member of the Partnership Council – the firm's main governing body – with responsibility for oversight of the firm's central management team's performance. He also co-chairs the partnership recommendation committee and is top ranked by Chambers in competition/European law.

Burke said: "I've been offered a fantastic job opportunity, for a longstanding client of the firm, and in my hometown of Boston. It's a rare opportunity that's come a little earlier than originally planned, but hard to pass up."

Lawes led the process of appointing a new global managing partner and nominated Aitman to join him and executive partner Stephan Eilers, in the firm's central management team.

Aitman said: "Ted leaves the firm in excellent shape, yet these are jobs that are never done as new challenges and opportunities are constantly arising. I'm very excited at the chance to implement the strategy that I helped Ted and Will develop as a member of our Partnership Council and am particularly keen to ensure we harness the many individual talents in our firm in driving our business forward."

The next senior partner election is due in 2015, when Burke's term was also due to end. Under the firm's governance structure, introduced when Lawes was elected in 2010, the incoming senior partner appoints the new management team.