Pinsent Masons has chosen a new managing partner to succeed incumbent Laura Cameron, who is stepping down following a contested election.
Partner Richard Griffiths, global head of the firm’s property group, will succeed Cameron on 1 November. Cameron had sought a second term, standing against Griffiths and UK head of employment Helen Corden in an election earlier this month.
The result means Pinsents is set for a change in both its main leadership roles, having elected John Maciver, head of its financial services sector, to take over from Andrew Masraf as senior partner on 1 October at the end of his first term.
GLP understands Masraf had also sought to extend his leadership and that, alongside Maciver, contenders for the role included risk advisory services group head Jim Cormack KC, Middle East head Catherine Workman and Amsterdam office head Wouter Seinen.
Maciver said Griffiths "brings deep expertise along with a genuine commitment to our people, our clients and our culture, and I am looking forward to working together as we shape the firm’s future".
Griffiths is a leading energy and infrastructure consents lawyer who joined Pinsents as a trainee in 2002 and made partner at the firm a decade later. He was previously head of the firm's planning and environment practice for four years, overseeing its expansion into Australia, the Middle East and Europe and growth of more than 50%. He took over leadership of the firm's property group two years ago, during which time it has grown by 13%.
"We are a firm with exceptional people, deep sector expertise and a strong international platform," Griffiths said. "I will build on those strengths to lead the firm confidently into its next chapter and secure its long-term success."
For her part, Cameron is also a Pinsents veteran, having joined in 1994. She previously led the firm’s risk advisory services group and became the first woman appointed to its global board before taking over as managing partner in May 2023 from John Cleland, who had served the maximum of two four-year terms in the role allowed by Pinsents.
With her support, her term was shortened by the firm’s decision to bring in a unified election calendar for the senior partner and managing partner roles.
Pinsents’ managing partner has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and operations of the firm globally, while the senior partner has ultimate responsibility for its leadership.
The elections follow Pinsents reporting a modest 3.3% rise in revenue in the 2026 financial year to just over £700m, as profit per equity partner fell to £740k, having hovered at just below £800k for the previous two financial years after gains of 8% and 16% respectively in FY23 and FY22.
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