New London head at Baker & McKenzie
PARTNERS at City law firm Baker & McKenzie have chosen intellectual property partner Paul Rawlinson as the next head of the London office, replacing Gary Senior who will step down this summer after 10 years in the role.
Rawlinson, a Bakers lifer who joined the firm as a trainee in 1986, is serving his second stint on the firm’s managing committee and will become London managing partner on 1 July.
As figures from The CityUK showed yesterday that legal services employment in the City grew by 2.5 per cent (see page 3) – offsetting a decline in finance roles – Rawlinson said the sector had a crucial role to play in supporting financial services firms.
“With an increased focus on compliance and risk management law firms are more relevant than ever,” he told City A.M. yesterday. “We’re perfectly placed to help UK plc grow in emerging markets and manage their risks on a global basis.”
Rawlinson plans to keep working for a “core group” of clients with whom he has a long-standing relationship, including FTSE 100 firms Unilever and British American Tobacco.
Though Bakers does not release half-year figures, Rawlinson was upbeat about the first few months of the financial year, predicting a “good first half compared to last year”.