International law firm Bird & Bird today announces that its partnership has re-elected David Kerr as CEO for a further three year term.
David has served as CEO since 1996. During this time, Bird & Bird has grown into the truly international law firm it is today, going from 70 lawyers in three offices to over 1,300 lawyers across 29 offices.
The firm has experienced 28 years of continuous revenue growth, with half year figures for the current financial year 2018/2019 showing a 12% increase in turnover and a 15% increase in profit compared to the same period the year before.
The strength of the firm's brand has increased substantially – Bird & Bird entered the Acritas Global Elite Law Firm brands ranking for the first time and was ranked 5th in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Europe report in 2018.
In recent years Bird & Bird has focussed on building its presence in the world's two largest legal markets, opening its first US-based office in downtown San Francisco and forging a cooperation agreement with leading domestic Chinese firm AllBright Law Offices. It also significantly strengthened its Hungarian operation with the addition of the Budapest office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Bird & Bird also launched its twoBirds Client Solutions initiative last year – a range of legaltech and client service solutions developed in collaboration with clients. More clients have been making use of innovations such as the bespoke patent valuation tool Pattern, Luminance for major projects, and twoBirds Access 'bespoke solutions' for a more streamlined delivery of legal services.
Massimiliano Mostardini, Chairman of Bird & Bird said:
"Our warmest congratulations to David from myself and the board. It's been a privilege to work alongside him over the past years and continue to take the firm from strength to strength. I look forward to continuing to work closely with David and the leadership team."
David Kerr, CEO of Bird & Bird said:
"Bird & Bird is a tremendous firm full of fantastic people, and I'm honoured and grateful that the partnership has placed its trust in me for the next three years.
"I work alongside a strong leadership team heading up our sector groups, practice groups and offices across the globe. I'm excited to work with this leadership team over the next three years to maintain our position as the number one law firm in the world advising organisations being changed by the digital world or themselves driving that change."
"We are going through a transformational period in the legal profession, our clients' industries, and in the world at large. Our focus has always been on helping our clients thrive in times of change – whether that's through new ways to deliver legal services or the creation of new offerings outside of legal; this focus puts us in a strong position."
