Fieldfisher has elected Robert Shooter for a second term as managing partner.

London-based Shooter will begin his second three-year term 1 April 2025, having succeeded veteran leader Michael Chissick in May 2022. His election was unopposed. 

“Rob has done a fantastic job as managing partner and I am delighted he has been re-appointed for a second term,” said firm senior partner, David Wilkinson. “His re-election signals the stability and continuity of the firm’s leadership and the confidence of the partnership in the firm’s direction. I’m excited to continue working closely with Rob on realising our firm’s agenda for the future, while maintaining our supportive and entrepreneurial culture.”

Shooter has been a partner at Fieldfisher since 2006 and led its technology, outsourcing and privacy practice for a decade before taking on the MP role. Early in his first term he kick-started the launch of the firm’s new strategy focused on European expansion, ESG and industry sector growth across energy and natural resources, financial services, life sciences and technology. 

Under Shooter’s leadership Fieldfisher has reported 10% year-on-year revenue growth, with turnover hitting £359m in the 11 months of trading to 31 March 2024 – the firm’s new year-end date. Meantime its profit per equity partner (PEP) – which stood at £966k for that period – has expanded and contracted in line with the wider market, jumping 22% to just north of £1m in FY22 when many firms had a blockbuster year before dipping 11% in FY23 to £930k. 

Fieldfisher’s Europe growth push saw it cut ties with longstanding Italian partner firm Studio Associato Servizi Professionali Integrati last year and in early April relaunch its Italian operation as a fully integrated part of its network. The firm opened with a team of 26 lawyers from its former ally and has since grown the team to 32 professionals across Milan and Bologna.

Last year the firm also set up shop in Vienna with eight lawyers hired from regional firm SCWP Schindhelm and independent practice, and now has 14 offices in continental Europe.  

Fieldfisher said it had grown lawyer headcount in the past year by nearly 100 to 1,060, including the former head of Hausfeld’s commercial disputes practices, John McElroy, who joined the firm in London in July. Earlier last year the firm also hired Ciara Burke from Facebook parent Meta to lead its data protection team in Dublin. 

Meantime the firm’s commitment to ESG saw it hire Nicole Bigby in February from BCLP as its first ESG director and create a new partner collaboration framework as part of the collaboration element of its 2025 strategy.

Shooter commented: “It is a great privilege to be Fieldfisher’s managing partner, and I am delighted to be re-elected for a second term. Our three-year plan, at the start of my first term, was ambitious. I am very proud of what we have achieved. Working together and following a clear strategy, we have placed the firm in a strong position in the legal market and built a solid platform for the future growth and success of the firm. I look forward to working with my partners and everybody in the firm on the next stage of our firm’s development in 2025 and beyond.”