'He will need to be quite a diplomat' - the challenges for Slaughters' new senior partner

 I think there may be some within the firm that feel disenfranchised

Cooke has said he hopes to bring “energy and collegiality” to the role but some question this. “I’m not so sure he will bring collegiality to the role,” says one source. “The issue with [current senior partner] Chris Saul, and I expect it will be the same with Cooke, if not more so, is that he is very focused on the corporate M&A practice. I think there may be some within the firm in other departments that feel disenfranchised.”

Some partners within the firm disagree, arguing that given the firm’s reputation advising UK corporates on key strategic moves it is inevitable that Saul and his two most recent predecessors – Tim Clarke and Giles Henderson – were all corporate lawyers before taking on the leadership role.

“It is natural that senior partners have emanated from corporate as corporate is such a powerhouse of the firm,” says one City partner.

Another adds: “Would the disputes or competition department be delighted if one of their own became senior partner? I’m sure they would. Steve is fully aware, though – particularly in light of the downturn – of the extent to which all practice areas are hugely important, so I don’t think they will feel disenfranchised. He would be crazy to take any other view.”

Keeping female partners on board is likely to remain an issue. Partner exits from Slaughters remain rare but in addition to Mark Dwyer’s departure for DLA Piper in October the firm saw three female corporate partners leave over four years – Kathy Hughes in 2015, Kathryn Davis in 2013 and Elizabeth Holden in 2012.

“I think that one issue they need to face up to is retaining partners, particularly female ones that have families,” says a former lawyer.

A more personal challenge will be how Cooke manages to combine his client relationships – which include Rolls-Royce, energy company Centrica and drinks company Diageo – with his management post. He has said he will continue to do “lot of client work”, more than Saul currently does.

“I think that’s a tough ask,” says an ex-Slaughters lawyer. “It’s a full time job. Even though Slaughters is a relatively small firm there are still a lot of partners to handle there and I think it’s a difficult partnership to run as it is a proper democracy.”

Another source says there have always been those in the partnership who wanted to see the senior partner continuing with client work but that it was “unrealistic”.

He is a great person to have at the helm – a nice straight up bloke; no messing about, charming but with razor sharp intelligence

When it comes to the broader strategy for the business, the consensus among those inside the firm and close to it is that it will be very much business as usual under Cooke as the firm seeks to hold its market-leading position in the UK.

Slaughters’ position as the UK’s most profitable law firm does not look under threat right now but retaining its successful outlier standing as the rest of the legal market globalises around it is not guaranteed, particularly as US firms continue to make their mark in London.

“They don’t need to change much, although rivals have been bleating on at them for the last 15 years saying they need a proper international practice and that the best friends network doesn’t work,” says one City partner.

Those inside the firm are confident Cooke is the right person to take on the challenges Slaughters faces while maintaining its position.

“He is a great person to have at the helm,” says one Slaughters partner. “He’s a nice straight up bloke; no messing about, charming but with razor sharp intelligence.”

Another partner concludes: “He has a fantastic track record at the firm and with clients. He is going to bring a huge amount to the role.”