Hogan Lovells is no stranger to having women in leadership roles. When the firm was first formed through the transatlantic merger of Hogan & Hartson and Lovells in 2010, U.S.-based Claudette Christian served as co-chair of the new entity and U.K.-based Susan Bright has held roles including head of U.K. and Africa.

But the appointment of Marie-Aimee de Dampierre as the sole chair of the global firm is the most notable yet.