Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s London-based global head of corporate, Gavin Darlington, is to retire next month, sparking a search for a replacement to spearhead the prestigious department.

Darlington, who is 56 and has been a partner at the firm for 26 years, became joint global corporate head with German M&A stalwart Andreas Fabritius in 2003, but recently informed the partnership that he would be retiring at the end of October.