Mr Chadwick, who currently heads Baker & McKenzie's London tax practice, will begin his three-year term on 1 September and will oversee around 390 lawyers. Mr Chadwick is a Baker & McKenzie lifer, having joined as a trainee in 1990 before making partner nine years later.

He replaces IP partner Paul Rawlinson, who earlier this year was elected global managing partner and will begin his new role in October when Eduardo Leite stands down.

A weighty post

The London managing partner role carries considerable weight at Baker & McKenzie. Mr Rawlinson used the post as a platform to launch his successful bid to become chair, while Gary Senior, his London predecessor, went on to become chair of the EMEA region.