In October 2005, The Lawyer ran an article looking at the number of firms in the UK’s top 50 that had converted to limited-liability partnership (LLP) status. There was one factor linking many of those that had made the switch - Serle Court’s John Machell.

Machell has advised firms including Baker & McKenzie, Berwin Leighton Paisner, CMS Cameron McKenna, Lawrence Graham and Burges Salmon on their conversions, helping them through the often complicated process.

As well as extensive experience in the developing LLP arena, Machell brings knowledge gained through smoothing the merger paths for firms such as Denton Hall and Wilde Sapte and Linklaters and Oppenhoff & Rädler. As an added bonus, he can also advise on professional indemnity issues - truly a partnership all-rounder.

Machell will be in high demand in the months to come as more firms seek to convert to LLP status.