Pinsent Masons has confirmed that three candidates will compete to take over as the firm's new managing partner following longstanding incumbent David Ryan's decision to step down next April.

The three candidates for the role are head of property Adrian Barlow, head of banking and restructuring head John Cleland and head of client operations Richard Masters.

Confirmation that more than one nominee has been put forward triggered the start of a formal election process. The result of a partner vote is expected in late December.

Master appears to have the strongest management credentials of the three candidates, having served two terms as managing partner of legacy McGrigors before merging with Pinsent Masons in 2012

Richard Foley, senior partner at Pinsent Masons, said: "I'm delighted that three candidates of such high calibre have emerged, and that the partnership will have a genuine choice in selecting the right person to help take the firm forward."

Ryan has been in post for nearly 16 years, and the firm will now undergo its first contested election for managing partner since he was first elected in 1998.

It is believed that the partnership were reluctant back a candidate from its market-leading construction group after Foley, who was previously the firm's practice head, took over as senior partner in October.

A former partner said: "You would expect someone from another group to put their stick in the ground. I think they would like the firm to be broader than their core construction focus; it's not as is if they don't have strength in other areas.

"David has done a lot, but now I think the firm is into a second phase, where someone else needs to give it an extra push."

One Pinsents partner said: "Anyone who has overseen so many positive changes deserves a break. He will leave on a high note, and why not after a job well done."