Clifford Chance (CC) London managing partner David Bickerton is set to serve a second term after no rival candidates put themselves forward for the role.

The City partnership was informed Bickerton (pictured) would be running unopposed for the London managing partner position after soundings took place earlier this month.

The nominal vote will close next week. Bickerton's first four-year term in the leadership role draws to an end in December.

Insiders at the firm said that his reappointment was on the cards from the start of the nominations process. One partner said: "The voting process is a technical formality, really – [Bickerton] is sailing through the process, for sure. He has been doing a great job in the role."

The news comes as the firm is undergoing a series of leadership changes. Earlier this month the firm named Chris Davies as its new global head of tax, pensions and employment, replacing David Harkness in the role, and Simon Sinclair as its new City head of capital markets, replacing Andrew Forryan.

Meanwhile, the firm's partners in the process of electing a new global managing partner, with global head of corporate Matthew Layton, Paris managing partner Yves Wehrli and real estate finance partner Andrew Carnegie in the running to replace David Childs in the role.

The first round of voting will close next week.

Childs' future is currently unclear, with some partners predicting he will retire from the firm once he hands over the reins.