Contested elections are par for the course in Big Law. But when two contenders emerged to challenge incumbent Jeroen Ouwehand for Clifford Chance’s next senior partner term many in the firm expressed surprise.

No senior partner at the firm has ever been challenged for the role after just one term, according to one former partner. Previous senior partners Malcom Sweeting and Stuart Popham were reappointed after nobody contested them for the role at the end of their first terms.