Eversheds sees 38 partners resign from LLP since spring

Firm focuses on 'best shape top to bottom' as partner moves mount

Eversheds has seen 38 partners resign from its limited liability partnership (LLP) since May - equating to around 11% of its partnership, as it stood at the beginning of the current financial year.

The top 10 law firm, which had 332 partners on 1 May, has seen 38 partners step down from the LLP since that date, with 35 of these leaving altogether. Only three have remained with the firm as consultants.

Those leaving the firm in recent months include property partner Andrew Li, who joined Davenport Lyons; corporate partner Jonathan Armstrong, who joined US outfit Duane Morris; Timothy Webb, who left to launch a City property practice for Greenberg Traurig Maher; construction and infrastructure litigation partner Donald Warnock, who joined Norton Rose; and corporate partner Carsten Rumberg, who joined McGrigors' City arm.

The departures, which were either voluntary or at the request of management, do not include the exits of two Milan-based Eversheds partners announced earlier this week (23 November). Italian dispute resolution co-head Riccardo Buizza and corporate tax partner Luigi Macioce are set to leave Eversheds Bianchini to join Withers.

The departures also exclude any resignations from the LLP that occurred before May. Figures from Companies House state that an additional 18 partners retired from the LLP between January and the end of April, although some of these may have remained with the firm in another capacity.

However, between January and November 17 partners were appointed to the LLP.

Eversheds chief executive Bryan Hughes said: "Year on year, there is always a level of underlying change in the partnership. In recent months, there has been a focus to ensure that the business from top to bottom is in the best shape to provide clients with the most efficient legal service in the market now and in the future."

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