Goldstein will be a tough act to follow at Olswang

Last Friday (2 February) Simon Davies sent shockwaves throughout 40-somethings in the magic circle by becoming, at the tender age of 39, Linklaters' youngest-ever managing partner.

At Olswang, that's ancient.

Today the firm announced that Jonathan Goldstein, one of the youngest law firm chief executives in any circle when he took over, aged 31, in 1998, was quitting the firm.

Senior partner Mark Devereux, who co-founded the firm in 1981, and chief operating officer Kevin Munslow claim that the firm has always been managed by "a triumvirate". In other words, Goldstein's departure will have no direct impact on its strategy or trajectory. Which is probably true. There is often a disconnect between an organisation's public face and the internal reality.

But it is equally true that the firm long seen in the City as something of an upstart has had a figurehead over the past nine years with a public profile few in the market could match.

Goldstein has big boots to fill. This will be an election well worth watching.

lawyernewsdaily@thelawyer.com