Given the difficulties King & Wood Mallesons' (KWM's) European arm has faced in recent times, whoever takes over at the troubled firm's helm is in for a challenging ride.

With the firm now gearing up to elect both a new managing and senior partner for the legacy SJ Berwin business, Legal Week takes a look at some of the candidates being touted for the roles.

KWM confirmed this week that it plans to elect a new managing partner to succeed William Boss – who stepped down in January two years early – and a replacement for senior partner Stephen Kon, by the end of October.

After Boss resigned from his role, the firm initially said a replacement would be in place by April but the process was delayed until this month following a reorganisation of its practices. This week's confirmation that Kon is also leaving his post means the firm will have an entirely new leadership team to see it through the coming years, which are unlikely to be easy.

Whoever wins will be inheriting a firm that has experienced a gruelling year, with continued delays to partner profit distributions, a slew of voluntary and involuntary partner exits, as well as a recent move by Barclays to tighten its lending agreement with KWM.

With the new managing partner and senior partner both set to commence their roles next month, opinions on the strongest contenders have already emerged.

London head of tax Gareth Amdor is seen as the most likely candidate for managing partner, with the global joint coordinator of KWM's corporate, M&A and securities practice, Tim Bednall, also seen as a contender.

Meanwhile, UK investment funds head Michael Halford is being touted as a possibility for the senior partner role. KWM UKMEA head of real estate William Naunton, meanwhile, is being linked with both positions.

Amdor is widely seen as the 'unity' candidate. He has been a partner at the firm since 2005 and serves as London head of tax and co-head of the EUME tax practice. He also heads the  UK M&A tax function and the global employee incentives practice. Additionally, he is the chair of the firm's finance committee and a member of the remuneration committee.

One partner says:  "He's the right age and hasn't marginalised parts of the firm. He's quite a good unity candidate, who will appeal to the whole firm more than previous options."

Working against him potentially is the fact that coming from a smaller practice he may have less support within the firm.  As a former partner comments: "Tax wouldn't naturally be a practice area that would command enough support. Candidates are normally drawn from groups with a larger amount of partners."

Former partners suggest Amdor will have to beat Australian contender Bednall to secure the role. Bednall was chairman of legacy Australian firm Mallesons Stephens Jaques and played a key role in KWM's 2013 merger with SJ Berwin, making him a politically sensitive candidate for UK partners. However, he relocated to London in February this year and is believed to be regarded as a serious contender due to his prior management experience.

One source says: "If you're looking for someone with the gravitas and experience to do the job, he would be appropriate."

Another controversial contender for either role is Naunton. Legal Week understands that Naunton, who was previously head of international real estate at Eversheds before joining KWM in November 2014, had been encouraged to put himself forward for the role of managing partner following Boss's decision to step down.

Partners and former partners suggest his experience leading one of KWM's three key practice groups during the past nine months could stand him in good stead.

One former partner says: "I think the problem the next managing partner will face is commanding the support of three practice heads of big divisions to stand behind them. Controlling those three when they are more experienced in leadership will be a massive challenge."

However, given Naunton will have only been at the firm for two years this November, some are less convinced. As one partner comments:  "You can't lead people through the desert if you haven't spent enough time there."

Naunton's main challenger for senior partner is Michael Halford, who heads the UK investment funds team, which is seen as one of the last remaining jewels in KWM's slipping European crown.

Halford, who has been at the firm for 21 years, elicits praise from many, with one former partner saying he "could well claim to be the leading funds lawyer in the UK" and another describing him as "extremely clever".

Former leader Jonathan Blake – who served as senior partner between 2006 and 2012 – als came from the funds practice. And Halford has also been involved in significant strategic decisions at the firm, recently leading a review into the firm's European capitalisation level. The review resulted in a new recapitalisation plan being voted through at the end of July, when partners agreed to commit in excess of £14m.

Potential candidates have until 20 September to put themselves forward for arguably two of the most challenging law firm leadership roles around at present.

Ex-partners describe the leadership vacancies as "a poisoned chalice" and "like the England football manager [role] – everyone wants it, but then you start getting blamed for the problems".

Some though are hopeful the elections will usher in a new dawn for the struggling partnership. One former partner says: "I think they've wiped the slate clean now. It's time for a fresh start and it looks a bit better. Of all those possible names, they've certainly all got the firm's best interests at heart."