The emergence of three London corporate lawyers as favourites to succeed Juan Picon as DLA Piper senior partner has prompted concerns among some continental partners about the continued Anglo-centric direction of the firm.

City corporate trio Bob Bishop (pictured above), Andrew Darwin and Jon Hayes have been tipped by partners at the firm as the frontrunners for the senior partner role, with eight contenders set to be whittled down to three in the first stage of voting next week.

Also running are London finance partner Charles Morrison and London-based life sciences co-chair Bonella Ramsay, with continental Europe represented by Brussels competition lawyer Bertold Baer-Bouyssiere, Paris employment partner Bijan Eghbal and Madrid senior partner Inigo Gomez-Jordana.

One continental Europe partner says it is concerning that the contenders are "almost all Anglo-Saxon", while another adds: "The reality is that there is a sector of the firm in continental Europe that feels DLA is becoming too UK-centric."

Bishop, Darwin and Hayes are widely acknowledged as the overwhelming favourites for the role, with one partner asserting that they will "without a doubt" be the final three.

Canadian Bishop has been head of corporate at the firm since 2014, having joined in 2003 from legacy Shaw Pittman.

One DLA London corporate partner says: "He's a quality act – he's done a fantastic job in the corporate team. We've made massive strides and he's been instrumental in that. He's got amazing charisma and can really hold a room."

However, his relative youth has raised some concerns, with one former partner saying that "he is a bit too young in my eyes", and another adding: "He is young – but good."

Former Linklaters partner Hayes (pictured) also has his admirers, with one partner saying: "Jon is a guy that definitely has a view about what the firm could become, and he has a real charisma – he could be a unifying figure within the firm."

They also point to the fact he is half-British and half-American as a real advantage in a transatlantic verein firm: "Jon could be a bridge between the two partnerships at a time where it seems that the Americans are not moving any closer to the international partnership," the partner says.

Another partner says that despite being London-based, Hayes is well-known across the firm's international network.

"He has been great at creating opportunities for global clients in many jurisdictions – he is seen as someone who cares for people in other countries, so he will have good visibility with people in different offices," the partner says.

However, one ex-partner says that his closeness to CEO Simon Levine and the "London management world" could lead to question marks over his ability to hold the executive to account, describing him as "part of the management machine".

"How much will he do in reality to keep Simon under control?" asks one partner. "That may be a negative."

Darwin (pictured right), meanwhile, is a DLA lifer, having joined the firm in 1981 and made partner in 1987. He has not been a frontline lawyer for much of that time, instead holding a wide variety of management roles including COO, Australia head, head of corporate and UK managing partner.

He had a close relationship with former DLA chief Sir Nigel Knowles, with one former partner describing him as "Nigel's right hand" and another characterising him as "Nigel's trainee".

His identification with the Knowles era splits opinion. One partner says that some in the firm view him as "too old guard" but concedes that "he does have a following", while a former partner says "he is very ancien regime – representative of a less political era when Nigel's generation owned the business, so that might appeal to people".

Bonella Ramsay (pictured right), co-chair of the firm's life sciences group, is picked by one former partner as a possible longshot: "As an outsider, Bonella would be very good at it," they say.

A partner says: "She has demonstrated an impressive strength of character, she is well liked in the UK and I think she has a chance of making the final round."

Another partner points to the fact she is the only woman running as an advantage, while a former partner says: "DLA has a poor track record in promoting women, so her election would be a powerful testament to the partnership's willingness to address that."

The former partner adds: "She is somebody from outside the main management clique; she is a very respected practising lawyer who has in the past been constructively critical of how the firm runs itself."

Going against her candidacy is her relative lack of profile outside the UK. "She has much less visibility in continental Europe and in places like Asia, and that is a problem for her," one partner says.

Ramsey also has longstanding ties to Levine, having moved to DLA with him in 2004 as part of a 25-strong IP and tech team which came over from legacy Denton Wilde Sapte, a relationship that one partner says "could be a negative for the more critical side of the firm".

The last of the London candidates is finance partner Morrison (pictured right), who led the firm's finance and projects group between 2012 and 2017.

One backer says: "Charles has done great things for the finance and project group, and he is a fair and strong leader."

Another former partner – who says Morrison would get their vote – adds: "He is quite a strong character, a good lawyer and not at all of the management world, which would be very attractive for those that would want a senior partner who would guard the conscience of the firm. He'd be an effective foil to Simon Levine and those around him."

However, critics say he lacks the personal touch of some of the other candidates.

"Some of the other candidates are seen as people you can work with and enjoy the ride – Charles doesn't create those kinds of personal relationships."

Former senior partner Picon's appointment to the role in 2016 was hailed as a breakthrough for the firm, providing a voice in the senior management team from the firm's continental and civil law arm. However, this time round the three continental Europe partners are perceived as distinct outsiders.

Brussels-based Bar-Bouyssiere (pictured right) is seen by one European partner as the candidate that the firm's European partnership should get behind.

"He is completely cross-cultural," the partner says. "He is German, he has added his French wife's name to his name, and he is based in Brussels. He is trilingual and is the partner capable of voicing the concerns of the continental partnership."

A former partner says: "He is a thoughtful independent character, but he has not had a leadership role of significance in the firm."

One partner says that without the backing of a large practice group or office, he would be hard pushed to defeat one of the more mainstream London candidates.

"He is a bit of a free bird, very unconventional, but he is in a small practice group and lacks major clients or client relationships," they say.

The partner instead cites employment partner Eghbal (pictured right) as the European candidate "who would command the most respect".

However, as is the case with Madrid corporate partner Gomez-Jordana (pictured below right), Eghbal faces an uphill struggle given his relatively low profile in relation to the London-based candidates.

While former senior partner Picon boasted the support of a number of senior figures at the firm, partners question whether this year's continental Europe contenders can mobilise the same level of support.

"This time round, I don't think the European candidates command the same respect in terms of their leadership credentials, so it might be difficult for them to convince the partnership at large to vote for them."