Collyer Bristow’s senior partner of 10 years is stepping down, to be replaced by the London firm’s head of private client.
John Saner will take over from Roger Woolfe in February. Woolfe will return to fee earning in the commercial property team, while Andrew Dixon will take over the role as head of private client left by Saner’s promotion.
Dixon is a relative newcomer to the firm, having brought his team with him from Pinsent Masons two years ago.
Collyers’ private client team represents 15 per cent of firmwide turnover, which was £13m according to this year’s financials.
The 30-partner firm’s management has had a turbulent 12 months, losing its chief executive Jonathan Fox in January to Birmingham set St Philips Chambers.
As well as the senior management rejig, the 250-year-old firm’s business development manager, Jackie Reiss, is being made partnership director effective 1 November. This new position will encompass strategic and operational decisions.
Collyers has converted to an LLP and expanded its office space in the last two years. Saner said in a statement: “We are determined to develop further to meet the increasing demands from clients and the changes in the market.”
