Suzanne Liversidge

KennedysGlobal Managing Partner

As the legal market continues its belated drive to improve gender equality, Kennedys’ Suzanne Liversidge played her part in 2019 by becoming the first female global managing partner to take charge of a UK top 30 law firm.

However, this was just the second gender-related first in her career. Liversidge had previously become the first woman to be named president of Sheffield’s Chamber of Commerce in its 242-year history.

Liversidge joined Kennedys just under 10 years ago, taking pride in being head of office in her native Sheffield as what she calls a “pure northern girl”. During her time in the Steel City, she helped to launch the office with one other person, subsequently expanding it to a total of 135 staff.

Since her summer appointment to the top job, Liversidge has switched Sheffield for the likes of Rio and Miami, as she seeks to make her presence felt in Kennedys’ 38 offices around the world. She admits it was a tricky transition away from her hometown base, but she has comfortably settled into her new role and is confident she will build on last year’s record turnover and deliver continued growth.