The six candidates on the shortlist for the Linklaters managing partner role have been confirmed, with the partnership understood to be in the process of being consulted to ascertain the level of support for each.

With the candidates due to present a manifesto to the board in mid-September, Legal Week has canvassed opinion within the firm and externally to gauge their perceived strengths and weaknesses.

The board will whittle the list down to two with the successful candidate chosen by the board before being put to the partnership for a confirmatory vote on 17 November. In the 2007 managing partner process the last two candidates toured the Linklaters offices to drum up support before the final decision was taken. Sources indicate that this is likely to be the case again for the current election.

Trying to predict Linklaters' managing partner elections has historically been difficult. In 2007 current managing partner Simon Davies was an unfancied 39-year old, who won the nomination for the role despite his youth, relative lack of standing and the fact that he was based in Asia. So with that caveat it is time to examine the merits of the six prospects and, as far as possible, reckon their chances of success.

Marc Harvey

Title: Asia managing partner since 2014. Has a seat on the firm's executive committee.
Previous roles: Head of Greater China. Global litigation head between 2010 and 2014.
Partner: 2000
Qualified: 1993

Seen by sources as a strong candidate, he is particularly praised for his communication skills. One former Linklaters partner says: "He is charismatic and capable of captivating and motivating a crowd." In terms of his management style, "he isn't someone who sits in an ivory tower; he is very open and accessible", says a former Linklaters lawyer. He is also viewed to have the necessary robustness to handle the role: "He is very steely, very pragmatic and very determined," a former colleague says. The fact that he has been primarily based in Asia since 1996 may count against him, although the current managing partner Simon Davies spent much of his career in Asia and indeed was chosen for the managing partner role after a four-year stint as Asia managing partner, which is Harvey's current role. Although he has only been in post since 2014, his term as Asian managing partner has been seen as successful.
Current standing: Among the front runners.

Michael Kent

Title: Global head of finance and projects division since May 2015. Has a seat on the firm's executive committee.
Former roles: Head of the financial regulation group between 2007 and 2015. Served two terms on the firm's international board between 2007 and 2013.
Partner: 1999
Qualified: 1986

A strong candidate with bags of management experience, Kent has was head of the financial regulation group from 2007 until his promotion to head of finance and projects in 2015. He served two terms on the firm's international board between 2007 and 2013. He is well-known among the London partnership having spent his entire career at Silk Street. Sources do not see him as a particularly visionary or charismatic candidate, but he is praised for his intelligence and his one-to-one management skills. His management experience and his visibility within the London partnership are his major selling points. Sources close to the firm see him as the candidate to beat at present.
Current standing: Among the front runners

Pieter Riemer

Title: Regional managing partner – Western Europe since 2012. Has a seat on the firm's executive committee.
Partner: 2001 
Qualified: 1989

Amsterdam-based Riemer is the only candidate in the mix from the Linklaters European partnership. Sources think that he has the credentials and skills to do the job, but a lack of visibility within the firm, particularly in its London headquarters, count against him. A former Linklaters partner says: "He won't make it. A nice enough chap, but he is in Amsterdam and I don't hear his name seriously mentioned by most people."
Current standing: Outsider

Michael Bennett

Title: Global head of dispute resolution since 2014. Has a seat on the firm's executive committee.
Previous roles: London litigation and arbitration head.
Partner: 1998
Qualified: 1991

Sources say that litigation head Bennett is well-respected within the partnership. A former Linklaters partner says: "He would be good, he is a nice chap, pretty sensible and rounded and he has been at Linklaters all his life." It would be a break from recent tradition for a litigator to be appointed to one of the top two jobs at Linklaters. However, corporate partner Charlie Jacobs is currently favourite for the senior partner role and there is a feeling among sources that it is unlikely both top jobs will be taken by corporate partners. An ex-Linklaters partner comments: "It is a long time since a litigator has held a position of power in the firm, but [given Jacobs' popularity as a potential senior partner candidate] it shouldn't be a mark against him." Sources within the firm say that he did not push himself forward as a candidate, but rather he was approached by others who thought he would be a good fit for the role.
Current standing: Among the front runners.

Tom Shropshire

Title: Co-head of the operational intelligence group since 2014.
Former roles: Chair of the corporate responsibility committee. Had a seat on the firm's international board between 2011 and 2014.
Partner: 2006

Corporate and capital markets partner Shropshire represents the younger generation among the candidates. Sources praise his strategic thinking and his ability to express visionary ideas. Being American is seen as a positive as "it would be a good thing to have a US accent on the senior management team," according to one former partner. He is well-known within the partnership after a spell on the international board and through his current role co-heading the operational intelligence group, but generally he is not seen as enough of a heavyweight for the role. Age is one major factor that plays against him, as well as a lack of experience managing performance across a large group of partners. Additionally, there are suggestions that he is too nice for the role. A former Linklaters partner says: "I am not sure he has the right steely attributes for it, you have to have skin like a rhinoceros to do it because you have to tell people they are fired and do horrible things to people."
Current standing: Outsider

Gideon Moore

Title: Global head of banking since 2011.
Former roles: Co-head of leveraged finance
Partner: 1995
Qualified: 1987

Moore is seen by sources as a strong candidate who, as banking head, is likely to have support from the sizeable banking contingent within the firm. To be successful he would need to attract support from a broader constituency of partners from outside his banking powerbase. His experience running a large international practice is a definite plus, a former partner says: "He has a track record of managing a global practice and experience getting his mind round what is going on in foreign offices." He is well-regarded within the firm, a former partner describes him as a "well-respected practitioner, very well organised and quite a human sort of a guy as well".
Current standing: Among the front runners.