BLG scoops CC accountant for non-lawyer CEO position

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has completed its search for its first non-lawyer CEO, appointing chartered accountant and former head of branding at Clifford Chance Clint Evans.

As well as his time at Clifford Chance, Evans has also had management stints at Unilever, Deloitte and BDO Stoy Hayward.

BLG's senior partner Richard Dedman said the partners were "delighted" to welcome Evans to the firm.

He continued: "[Evans'] complementary management abilities and experience will be extremely valuable. There's a growing pool of professional management talent out there to tap and I think law firms will increasingly look to make this sort of appointment in the modern legal marketplace."

Along with Evans' management experience, BLG's new head also has a reputation as a sportsman. In 2005 Evans won the Atlantic Rowing Race with partner Chris Andrews, the global director of risk management at Clifford Chance.

"Clint's a serious achiever and very energetic," added Dedman.

Evans will work alongside current managing partner Kennan Michel for a handover period until the end of BLG's financial year next April. Michel will then step aside for Evans to assume full managerial control of the firm.

Evans, currently on the board of directors of Henley Management College, will take up his role during the summer.