It is easy to lose count of how many times Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has tinkered with its lockstep model. On the back of a stream of partner exits to U.S. rivals a few years ago the firm made changes to the system only to argue about returning to the drawing board a couple of years later.

But following the departure of two of its highly-rated junior private equity partners to Kirkland & Ellis on Monday many observers are asking whether it needs to review it again.