Clifford Chance’s senior partner has issued a call for partners to consider standing for the role of managing partner, with an emphasis on ‘the next generation’ of leaders, according to one partner at the firm.

Jeroen Ouwehand sent an email to the firm’s partnership regarding the managing partner post earlier in January. The term of the incumbent Matthew Layton is due to end in May 2022, meaning an election process is expected later this year, with many people at the firm not expecting him to stand again.