Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has elected employment head Lisa Mayhew as its new managing partner, as longstanding leader Neville Eisenberg prepares to step down after 16 years in the role.

Mayhew, who joined the firm in 2010 from Jones Day and previously served as a partner at Hogan Lovells, will take up the role on 1 May. 

She overcame competition from long-serving corporate partner David Collins – a near 20-year veteran of the firm – to secure the backing of partners in a vote which closed earlier this morning. The vote means she becomes one of only a handful of female law firm leaders at UK firms.

Former partners told Legal Week the election had not been a straight battle between old and new, with Mayhew understood to have secured the support of those in management roles such as real estate head Chris de Pury and executive chairman Robert MacGregor as well as women and younger partners at the firm.

The managing partner election comes at a crucial time for BLP.

The firm needs to reaffirm its position in the City after a challenging few years. Last year it bounced back from a difficult financial year in 2012-13 when its operating profit plunged 32% from £81m to £55m and it has also seen a large number of partner exits, many of which have been from the firm's finance team.

Commenting on Mayhew's appointment, Eisenberg said: "Since joining the firm, Lisa has demonstrated her leadership qualities as an elected board member and in leading a number of firmwide initiatives such as our inclusivity programme. Lisa's vision for the firm clearly resonated with partners and I very much look forward to working with Lisa during the handover period."

Mayhew added: "BLP has come a really long way in a relatively short space of time. We're a progressive and ambitious firm and everyone recognises that a change in leadership creates opportunity to drive positive change. When I take up the role in May, I want to build on the innovative, high performing and inclusive culture that we already have."

An issue for the firm now will be how the firm's tripartite leadership team will operate. Eisenberg is expected by many to take up a role as senior partner, taking over from current postholder Harold Paisner whose term also ends this year. This would leave Mayhew working alongside both him and MacGregor unless BLP were to change its leadership structure.

"The main challenge would be the competition. They are all very strong characters and I think it just doesn't work to have all of them," says one ex-partner.

"If the senior partner role remains as it is then it is neither here nor there but if [Eisenberg] becomes a senior partner that has a say in how the business is managed then I think that it is a very bad idea. I think the board needs an overhaul," says another.

Lisa Mayhew – career timeline