Herbies head of litigation wins senior partner fight

Head of litigation David Gold has won the two-way race to become Herbert Smith’s next senior partner, beating practice partner Richard Fleck to the punch.

Gold, backed by almost the entire litigation department – the firm’s traditional powerhouse – takes office in April. He succeeds Richard Bond for a five-year term. He will spend the next five months consulting the partnership on what form the firm’s management should take.

Currently the firm has a practice partner, an executive partner and a managing partner for Asia, but it may replace the posts with a more conventional managing partner.

Fleck, supported by virtually the whole of corporate, stood alongside well-liked M&A partner Tim Bellis, who would have become managing partner had Fleck won. However, it is understood that three corporate partners publicly backed Gold.

Clifford Chance head of litigation and dispute resolution Jeremy Sandelson commented: "Herbert Smith’s gain is the litigation department’s loss."