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Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer UK corporate head Tim Jones has vowed to put alternative career paths at the top of his agenda in his new role as head of the firm’s London management group.

Career management is one of a number of projects Jones has singled out for attention since taking over from chief executive Ted Burke as chair of the firm’s City management team.

Jones is now discussing a number of proposals with the firm’s associate engagement group after Freshfields’ first ever associate away-day earlier this year highlighted career structure as one of the main issues concerning fee earners.

In particular, Jones will look to flesh out the role of counsel to give it more prominence and a clearer brief. The role is currently recognised in different ways in different jurisdictions — in some areas it has been a step to promotion, as was the case with former City counsel Stuart Grider who was this year made partner, as well as being viewed as an alternative to partnership.

Jones told Legal Week: “I want to push the debate forward. A number of proposals are beginning to emerge and a lot of changes we make will be experimental.

“At the moment, the term ‘counsel’ is inconsistent and covers a multiplicity of different applications. We want to beef it up and we need to decide what it means in terms of participation in a management function.”

Jones, who will now be responsible for managing and implementing the firm’s strategy in the City, will also look at London’s role internationally as a resource of UK-qualified lawyers in other jurisdictions.

In particular, the firm is moving to deal with a growing demand for UK-qualified transactional lawyers in key emerging markets in the Middle East, Russia and Asia.

The transfer of the London brief to Jones is also intended to free up Burke to oversee Freshfields’ strategy and investment in the so-called BRIC economies, the world’s largest developing markets.

Jones added: “We need to look at London’s role internationally and the support it gives. The firm is now so big that the chief executive role is completely different to 10 years ago. Ted needs to focus on running the firm internationally and London needs its own voice.”

Jones will also review the firm’s sector focus in London to ensure the firm is giving the right focus to different industries.

In a related move, Freshfields has also established a firm-wide ‘contingency’ group headed by restructuring chief Ken Baird to identify business opportunities at the firm post-credit crunch.

The reshuffling of Freshfields’ management is the first major shake-up of its City executive since the 2005 creation of a four-partner team comprising some of the firm’s top deal lawyers to oversee its M&A practice.

Jones’ appointment also comes as Freshfields focuses on building its business after a year dominated by the fallout from its controversial partnership restructuring.

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