A&O partners could hardly be accused of being radical in their top brass elections this week. Wim Dejonghe was re-elected as senior partner and another London-based, white, male partner, Gareth Price, has replaced Andrew Ballheimer as managing partner.
Price was considered by many inside and outside the firm to be one of two lead contenders for the position, alongside global litigation head Karen Seward. Several partners had felt that the time had come for a woman at the top of the Magic Circle firm – and what a statement it would have been for A&O to lead the elite pack in being the first to do so – but it wasn’t to be.
