King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has confirmed Dubai-based disputes star Tim Taylor QC and Frankfurt M&A partner Michael Cziesla are in the running to be the firm’s next senior partner for UK, Europe and Middle East.
The winner will be elected this month and will replace outgoing senior partner Stephen Kon, who resigned in September two years before his term ended.
If he wins, former SJ Berwin disputes head Taylor is widely tipped to return to London for the job. He relocated to Dubai in 2009 to build up KWM’s office and to lead the firm’s international arbitration practice.
Taylor threw his name into the ring late last month and was understood to be running against London-based funds veteran Michael Halford, who has since decided to focus on fee-earning, The Lawyer understands.
Meanwhile Cziesla is also legacy SJ Berwin, having joined the partnership in 2002. He is now co-managing partner of KWM in Germany.
The winner will manage the EUME partnership alongside new managing partner Tim Bednall, who was elected into the position last week.
Bednall was formerly chair of Australian firm Mallesons prior to its Chinese merger, relocating to London last year to become head of the London corporate finance and funds division.
KWM’s EUME arm has had a turbulent 18 months following a number of big-hitter exits, a major redundancy consultation and a series of deliberate cuts to its regional equity.
Most recently the firm asked EUME partners to pay in £14m in a capital call in order to strengthen its business in the region.
The capital call followed a number of delays to partner distributions over the last two years and news KWM was reviewing its contributions structure.
KWM is also now understood to be in the market for a US merger, looking for a tie-up with a firm that has a broad base in the country. The firm is hoping to sign a deal before the end of 2017.
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