Following his traineeship with the firm between 1993 and 1995, Mr Hall specialised in real estate development where he built a strong and varied practice, joining the partnership in 2003 and assuming the role of head of the firm’s Property and infrastructure group in 2013. In that role he has significantly developed the firm’s commercial property practice, which provides first-class legal services for a growing client base around the UK on a wide range of transactions and advisory matters.

He said: “Andrew has taken the firm from strength to strength, and I am excited and honoured to succeed him. I have been with the firm since I secured a traineeship here in 1993, and in that time, it has changed dramatically in many ways. Yet the fundamentals – such as our exceptional legal expertise, our focus on client service and our commitment to innovation – have endured. They will be the bedrock of our future success as well. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank Andrew Blain for his significant contribution to the firm in his role as Managing Partner, and for all that he and the firm have achieved during his tenure.”

Mr Blain assumed the role of managing partner in May 2019. Under his leadership, the firm has delivered six consecutive years of revenue growth and a 57 per cent increase in profits. Over the same period, the firm has grown to 91 partners and strengthened its position as a market-leader in clean energy, real estate and infrastructure, banking and finance, technology and life sciences, and private wealth.

He said: “It has been a great privilege to lead the firm over the last seven years. I want to thank our clients and colleagues for their support over that period. The last seven years have brought challenge – I most certainly did not have a global pandemic in my mind when I took over in May 2019 – and opportunity.

“I am pleased that we have taken many of those opportunities and that the firm is in a strong position, having grown significantly. I know that Andy will drive the firm forward with the same vision, energy and acumen with which he has led our Property and Infrastructure team since 2013, and I look forward to supporting Andy and our board as we look to the future.”