Partnership vote confirms Charles Adams for another four years as global managing partner
Clifford Chance has re-elected Charles Adams as its global managing partner, securing him a second four-year term at the helm of the Magic Circle firm.
Adams will formally begin his new term on 1 May 2026, having received the backing of the firm’s global partnership. He was first elected to the role in 2021 and succeeded Matthew Layton in May 2022.
During his first term, Adams has overseen steady financial growth and geographic expansion, particularly in the United States and the Middle East. Firmwide revenue rose by 9% to £2.4 billion in the 12 months to 30 April 2025, compared with £1.97 billion when he took over the role in 2022.
Clifford Chance said this performance reflected continued investment in core practice areas and a sustained programme of lateral hiring. In London, the firm strengthened its private capital and mergers and acquisitions capability with hires including Bruce Embley, who joined from Skadden earlier this year.
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Adrian Cartwright, the firm’s global senior partner, said Adams had successfully led its growth strategy, with a focus on improving client experience, attracting and retaining talent and enhancing operational efficiency.
He added that the partnership welcomed Adams’s continued leadership as the firm sought to meet increasingly complex cross-border client demands through a collaborative global model.
Adams joined Clifford Chance in 1992 and was promoted to partner eight years later. His career at the firm has included work in the global financial markets practice and postings in New York and Milan. Before becoming global managing partner, he served as regional managing partner for continental Europe.
Commenting on his re-election, Adams said it was a privilege to continue in the role and thanked clients, partners and staff for their support. He said he was proud of what the firm had achieved and looked forward to building further long-term value for clients.
The announcement comes amid operational changes at Clifford Chance. Last month, the firm confirmed that it was reviewing its business services functions in London, with reports suggesting that up to 50 roles could be affected. A further 35 positions may see changes in scope, driven by greater use of artificial intelligence, reduced demand in some support areas and the transfer of work to operations hubs in India and Poland. The firm opened a new hub in Warsaw last year.
Leadership continuity has been a broader theme among Magic Circle firms. Earlier this year, Freshfields confirmed Georgia Dawson would serve a second five-year term as senior partner, while Slaughter and May announced that David Johnson would succeed Deborah Finkler at the end of her first term as managing partner.