Age 62
Position Senior partner, SJ Berwin
It has been a tough few years for mid-sized City law firms, and few have felt the squeeze as acutely as SJ Berwin. Before the crash it was a high-flyer, riding a boom in private equity and commercial real estate to achieve profits per partner within reach of their counterparts in the “magic circle”.
In 2008, however, profits tumbled by nearly half. Distributions to partners were suspended for months, merger talks were held with a string of American suitors but went nowhere, and rumours swirled of rising discontent among the partners.
But that unrest has died away, Stephen Kon, SJ Berwin’s new senior partner, said yesterday. “[Partners] see the economic backdrop — it’s challenging, worrying — but overall there’s a massive optimism in the firm, having gone through a difficult time. The worst is over. They’re looking forward to motoring ahead in a very serious way in the next year or two.”
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Mr Kon was elected to the top job at SJ Berwin yesterday after defeating Hilton Mervis, a litigation partner, in a vote of the 165 partners.
“Look, all law firms are having to adapt and we’re no exception to that,” Mr Kon said. “I would like to think in positive terms. There are opportunities out there as well as threats. Historically, we’re a firm that has adapted well.”
A specialist in competition law, Mr Kon is one of SJ Berwin’s star performers. The University of Sussex graduate joined the firm when it was founded in 1982, having spent five years as an academic and practised at Simmons & Simmons, a rival firm.
Mr Kon is married with three daughters and lives in North London. He likes football, cricket and racing.
“I would be at Cheltenham today if I wasn’t talking to you,” he said.