Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson’s London managing partner Bob Mollen is to step down after five years in the position to return to full time fee earning as the New York firm prepares to hand his remit to former Ashurst managing partner, Justin Spendlove.

Mollen, a Fried Frank partner since 1987, will hand over the management of the 20-lawyer office over to Spendlove when he joins from Ashurst on 5 April.