Best friends greet new Slaughters boss

Slaughter and May's best friends have welcomed the appointment of corporate head Chris Saul as the firm's next senior partner.

Saul, who has been head of corporate at the firm for four years and a partner since 1986, will take over from Tim Clark at the end of April following a partnership vote last week (16 January).

Olivier Assant, a partner at Slaughters' French best friend Bredin Prat, said: "Chris is a super guy and a fantastic corporate lawyer and, more importantly for the best friends, he's always been at the forefront of the best friends model. It's great news he's at the helm."

Those sentiments were echoed by Alberto Saravalle, managing partner at Italian best friend Bonelli Erede Pappalardo.

"Chris has always been a dynamic figure within the best friends' M&A working group and I'm sure he'll foster the relationships among our five firms," he added.

In the US Davis Polk & Wardwell partner Tom Reid said Saul has worked hard to promote the relationship between the two firms.

Saul told The Lawyer that the further development of the best friends strategy, which was a highlight of Clark's seven-year tenure as senior partner, would remain a key priority when he takes over at the helm.

"A big part of what Tim's done is the international side and that will be an important part of my role," he said.

Saul's election is the first in a series of management elections, with practice partner David Frank also set to retire.