SJ Berwin brings forward finish line in two-horse senior partner race

The firm is set to announce the outcome in the morning, with EU and competition head Stephen Kon vying against litigation partner and underdog Hilton Mervis (16 February 2012).

A firm spokesperson said the process - originally due to close at the end of this month - has been sped up because only two partners are in contention, meaning there is no need for a second round of voting. The replacement will take over at the start of May.

The voting started at the beginning of last month after incumbent Jonathan Blake announced that he was not going to stand for a third term (3 February 2012).

Managing partner Rob Day’s election in 2010 followed a longer process involving two rounds, with three candidates - including Mervis - standing for the role (1 November 2010).

A contested senior partner election, however, is a rarer occurrence, with Blake re-elected for his second term unopposed in 2008 (15 December 2008).  The firm’s partnership agreement requires a senior partner election every three years.