Former Linklaters Managing Partner Tony Angel to Join DLA Piper as Co-Global Chairman?

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DLA Piper Former Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel may join DLA Piper as co-global chairman, if approved by a partnership vote, as early as November 7^th.

According to the October 27^th blog at wsj.com, DLA Piper Borrows Wall Street Model In Search for Co-Chairman”: “…two people familiar with the matter confirmed that DLA’s partnership is poised to approve Angel”.

  

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It is virtually unheard of to appoint someone from outside the law firm to a top leadership position within the firm. However, DLA Piper is known for pushing the envelope, so to speak, and thinking outside the box. In the last six years, under Frank Burch’s leadership, the firm has become the largest in the world.

Peter Zeughauser, a law firm consultant, was quoted as having told Law Blog: “DLA has broken the mold several times since its inception. It’s difficult to draw parallels.” He also referred to Angel as “one of the top players in Europe”.

If approved, Angel would become co-chairman with Burch, who is currently the sole chairman of DLA Piper. As well, he would become the senior partner of DLA Piper International, which encompasses DLA’s operations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Currently, Angel serves as a non-executive director at SJ Berwin in London.

From 1998 to 2008, Angel served as managing partner at Linklaters. He is given significant credit for assisting with the transformation of the firm into a leading global force. According to the wsj.com blog, according to Legal Week, “he pushed hard to boost individual partner performance and align the firm’s business around premium work for a tighter group of blue-chip clients.”

And, according to the October 26^th article at thomsonreuters.com, “DLA Piper voting on hiring Tony Angel as co-global chairman”, under Angel’s leadership, Linklaters became one of the most profitable law firms ever, boasting annual revenues of over $2 billion and profits per partner of $2.4 million, according to The American Lawyer magazine. That was an increase in profits of nearly 110% over a three year period, which surpassed those of Skadden, as well as Davis Polk.

Most recently, Angel held the position of chief executive at Vantage Diagnostics, a London-based health-care data company. Before joining Vantage, Angel served as the executive managing director at Standard & Poor’s. in that role, he was in charge of the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa business.

Clearly, Angel is a force with which to be reckoned. With Burch and Angel at the helm, DLA Piper could well be poised for powerhouse status.

Linklaters LLP is a global law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom and a member of the ‘Magic Circle’ of leading UK law firms. The firm is the world’s fourth largest global law firm by revenue.  The firm employs approximately 2,200 legal advisers and 2,800 additional staff in 26 offices in 19 countries.

DLA Piper is a global law firm with 76 offices in 30 countries and over 4,200 lawyers. As of May 2011, it was the largest law firm in the world by number of attorneys. Two partnerships comprise the firm – DLA Piper International, and DLA Piper U.S. the firm’s clients include multinational, Global 1,000 and Fortune 500 companies, to emerging high-tech companies and start-ups.