Eversheds management rejigs for full profit share

Eversheds is shaking up its management line-up in its first step towards full profit sharing.

As first revealed by The Lawyer (14 February), the firm will move from partial to 100 per cent sharing between its national offices later on this year.

Leeds and Manchester managing partner David Ansbro will take on the newly-created role of managing partner.

David Gray, chairman of the corporate practice group will take over from Ansbro. His replacement is yet to be finalised. Ansbro says that it is likely to be an internal candidate.

Peter Scott ran the London operation for seven years but does not play a role in the newly-created management line-up.

East of England managing partner Colin Brown becomes head of operations, responsible for areas such as IT, training, human resources, finance and administration.

Head of property Ian Shann takes over from Brown, and London head of property and deputy managing partner Michael Brown replaces Scott as managing partner of the London office.

The deputy chairman of operations Ian Jollie is to retire. But he will remain with the firm in a part-time capacity as a consultant until the end of October.

North-east partner Geoff Harrison will become head of client services, as current incumbent Andrew Latchmore returns to the Leeds property department.

Ansbro says the shake-up, including the creation of his position, was timely. "Every organisation looks to its management from time to time but it was felt that this was the right time to do it.

"We are making fantastic progress and will now carry on with the agreed strategy and implementing it."

Chairman Keith James and head of international Victor Semmens will remain in their current roles.

James says: "These app-ointments will strengthen the management team further as we prepare to increase the pace of our growth both in the UK and overseas."