London-based Mr Jacobs and Belgium-based Mr Blumberg, who co-heads the global corporate group, were the first partners to enter the race for the senior partner post. They faced late opposition from Ms Comiskey, whose run for the position is believed to have picked up strong support and split the vote among the firm's corporate practice.

The favourite

Mr Jacobs will take over from Robert Elliott when the latter finishes a five-year term at the end of September. The South African born corporate lawyer joined Linklaters in 1990 as a trainee and made partner just seven years after qualifying, in 1999. He has been the face of the firm’s M&A team in recent years and had long been regarded as the favourite to replace Mr Elliott.

Building bridges

One former Linklaters partner told Legal Business: 'He's a big man for a big job. Aedamar made things more difficult for him than expected but Charlie has ideas about where he wants to take the firm and that will be important. Linklaters has its challenges, and the previous regime didn't endear themselves to the partnership, but Charlie will build bridges and get them going again.'