Howard Kennedy reappoints Craig Emden as Managing Partner and launches three-year growth plan

Howard Kennedy is pleased to announce the reappointment of Craig Emden for his second four-year term as Managing Partner (following a period as joint Managing Partner between 2013 and 2017).

His reappointment provides the firm with the platform to deliver the three-year growth plan developed and agreed by the firm’s partners in 2021.

Each of the firm’s four departments of Corporate, Real Estate, Private Client & Family and Dispute Resolution contributed to the development of the ambitious plan, which targets £80m annual revenue after three years and will see the firm grow to a 70-partner practice. The partners believe that this growth will enable the firm to make the necessary investment in people and technology to attract the best talent at all levels and better serve clients’ evolving needs. The plan is built on six pillars: Clients, People, Growth, Reputation, Smart Working and Responsible Business. 

In pursuit of its new targets, Howard Kennedy has stepped up its recruitment of top talent alongside a commitment to promote from within where performance merits this. In the last six months the firm has welcomed seven new partners across a range of practice areas, reflecting the broad-based growth to which the firm aspires. These lateral appointments are in addition to the two promotions to the partnership announced in 2021 of Rebecca Davison and Jade Chalmers (both Real Estate). The new partners are:

• Arish Bharucha – Commercial Disputes 
• Nina Lake – Family 
• Reshmi Manekporia – Private Client 
• Kyle Phillips – Business Crime 
• Marc Proudfoot – Investment Trusts
• Colin Sawdy – Intellectual Property and Commercial 
• Alex Watt – Intellectual Property and Commercial 

Craig Emden, Managing Partner of Howard Kennedy, said: “Leading this ambitious, growing and agile firm as we work to seize the many opportunities of the next four years is a challenge I am very excited to take up. 

We have worked hard over the last four years to diversify our revenues to protect the firm through the economic cycle and to ensure we are able to provide top quality support to clients whatever their needs. The success we have had in doing so leaves us extremely well positioned to build on our progress and deliver broad-based, sustainable growth in the years ahead. 

Our strength and ambition is enabling us to attract and retain some of London’s top talent, and I am delighted to welcome all of our new partners, each of whom has the collegiate approach, experience, expertise to contribute greatly to this firm’s winning culture and its continued progress.”