Former Clifford Chance (CC) London managing partner David Bickerton has dropped out of the running to become the firm's next senior partner, with two continental European partners now battling it out for the role.

Paris managing partner Yves Wehrli and Amsterdam chief Jeroen Ouwehand won the most votes during the second round of voting, which closed last week (12 November).

Partners will now vote on the duo in the final round, which closes on Monday (19 November).

Bickerton – who spent eight years as London managing partner before being succeeded by Michael Bates at the start of the year – had been seen as an early favourite in the race to succeed Malcolm Sweeting as senior partner.

One CC partner told Legal Week that the number of votes separating Wehrli and Ouwehand in previous rounds has been narrow. Partners have previously suggested that a European senior partner would be a positive for the international firm, in the context of the UK's exit from the European Union next year.

Wehrli, who ran unsuccessfully against recently re-elected Matthew Layton for the managing partner role in 2013, stepped down as continental Europe managing partner earlier this year, while Amsterdam managing partner Ouwehand also heads up CC's continental Europe litigation and dispute resolution practice.

Five partners started out in the race for senior partner, with insurance head Katherine Coates and former capital markets head David Dunnigan failing to make it past the first round of voting, which closed on 5 November.

Travers Smith elected its first-ever female senior partner this week, with tax partner Kathleen Russ voted in to succeed incumbent Chris Hale next July.