DLA Piper’s 2025 partner promotions show strong growth but raise questions over diversity strategy
DLA Piper has unveiled its largest-ever partner promotions round, elevating 65 lawyers across its global network. This marks the latest milestone in the firm’s continued expansion, following an impressive 63 promotions last year and over 70 in both 2022 and 2023.
The firm’s vast reach across 39 offices in 18 countries is reflected in the wide distribution of the new partners. As has been the case in previous years, the lion’s share of promotions went to the corporate practice, which saw 19 new partners appointed. The firm’s litigation team received the second-highest number of promotions with 13, followed by 12 in finance and 6 in real estate. Other practice areas, including employment, IP and technology, tax, and regulatory and government affairs, saw smaller increases in their respective partnership ranks.
Embed from Getty ImagesGeographically, the US topped the chart with 23 new partners, followed by continental Europe with 20, and the UK with 12, including five from London. The promotions in London included corporate lawyers Danny Westmoreland, Danny McMann, and Lorna Edwards, as well as Mark Browne and Victoria Cooper from litigation and regulatory teams.
However, the promotions follow notable exits from DLA Piper’s London office in recent months. James O’Donnell, the former global co-chair of the investment funds group, left for Gibson Dunn, while Sarah Smith, the former head of the UK competition team, moved to Simmons & Simmons. These departures have raised questions about the firm’s leadership and future strategic direction.
The new partners will officially take on their roles in the US and Canada as of April 1, and in EMEA and Asia Pacific on May 1, solidifying DLA Piper’s presence across multiple key regions.
Charles Severs, international managing partner and global co-CEO, expressed his pride in the new cohort, commenting, “This year’s cohort joins our firm’s partnership during a time of significant change and opportunity in the global landscape. We are committed to helping our clients navigate these challenges, and our 2025 cohort of new partners have been instrumental in delivering this support.”
Diversity and gender balance are key focus points
In terms of diversity, DLA Piper is making steady progress. Fifteen of the new partners are women, representing 23% of the total promotions this year. This aligns with the firm’s 2021 goal to achieve a 30% female partnership by 2025 within its international arm, which covers EMEA and Asia Pacific. The firm plans to increase this figure to at least 40% by 2030.
Despite these gains, DLA Piper’s diversity policies in the US have come under scrutiny, with reports suggesting that the firm has disbanded its minority organisations and affinity groups. The move follows pressure from the Trump administration regarding diversity policies, leading some to question the firm’s commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, it has been reported that the firm removed preferred pronouns from employee email signature blocks, further fueling controversy surrounding its internal practices.
In a competitive legal landscape, these promotions come at a pivotal time. DLA Piper’s strategic decisions, including its approach to diversity and the firm’s commitment to global expansion, will likely influence its position in the market as it continues to adapt to evolving client needs and internal challenges.
