David Pester has been re-elected as managing partner of Bristol-headquartered national law firm TLT for a further three-year term by a unanimous vote of its 100-plus partners.
The term, which starts next April, will be his sixth – a feat almost unprecedented in the legal sector – and will result in him leading the firm until 2020. Only four major UK law firms are known to have had managing partners serving for approaching two decades.
David, pictured, has been with TLT since its inception through the merger in 2000 of established Bristol firms Trumps and Lawrence Tucketts – where he qualified in 1987 – and took on the managing partner role in 2002.
Under his leadership, revenues at the firm have more than quadrupled to £71.6m in 2015/16.
The last time he was re-elected as managing partner – also uncontested – in 2013 he told The Lawyer magazine that he expected the firm’s annual turnover to be £80m by 2017. At the time it was nearly £49m.
The firm has also expanded geographically during his time at the helm, both through merger and greenfield office openings. TLT now employs more than 1,000 people across its six UK offices and is one of the few law firms able to advise across all three UK legal jurisdictions.
Commenting on his re-appointment, David said: “Our ambition at the start was to create a strong UK firm with a clear idea of the industries it would support and with the investment capacity and expertise to deliver a standout client service. That vision is still at the heart of what the firm stands for today as we prepare to kick off our new 2020 strategy.”
Senior partner Andrew Glynn, who led the election process, added: “Under David’s leadership we are transforming the business, winning market share and expanding across the UK in a highly competitive market.
“With early adoption of what are now industry norms, such as a sector-focused strategy and cross firm collaborative working, TLT is marked by its willingness to adapt and respond to a changing market.
“These attributes under David’s consistent and strong leadership will be essential to the firm’s continued success in the years ahead.”
As well as its head office inBristol, TLT has bases in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast, along with a specialist ship finance team in Greece.
Earlier this year TLT, Bristol’s third-largest law firm, signed a new 10-year lease on its landmark One Redcliff Street head office and is now transforming it into around 90,000 sq ft of modern, collaborative work space designed to support the firm’s approach to agile working.
The firm is known for its experience advising organisations in the financial services, leisure, retail & consumer goods, TMT, energy & renewables, housing and public sectors, working with established brands and growing businesses.
