Emily Exton appointed as Forsters' next Managing partner
Forsters announces today that Emily Exton will become the firm's new Managing Partner on 1 February.
Emily succeeds Paul Roberts, who has managed Forsters since 1998.
Emily's appointment was approved by the partnership in 2019 and she has been shadowing Paul for the last six months. Emily trained and qualified at Frere Cholmeley Bischoff moving to Forsters as part of the Dispute Resolution team when Forsters was founded in 1998. She became a partner in 2010 and has been Head of Dispute Resolution and a member of Forsters' Management Board since 2015. Within the highly regarded Dispute Resolution team, Emily has built a successful and award-winning Contentious Trusts and Estates practice. She also served as Forsters' Head of Graduate Recruitment for six years.
Forsters has grown significantly over the last ten years. Following a 50% headcount increase in its Private Wealth practice in 2017, and the recruitment in 2019 of two new Family partners and a Contentious Trust and Estates partner, Forsters is currently focusing on recruitment in its Real Estate and Corporate groups. The firm plans both lateral and internal partner appointments across the business in 2020 and by April will have more than 60 partners and a total headcount in excess of 450.
Emily Exton commented: “I am proud and excited to have been chosen as the firm's new Managing Partner. Forsters is a vibrant and dynamic firm, with a fantastic client base and a terrific team of highly skilled lawyers and business support staff. Forsters is already well respected for its unique working environment and culture and a key aim for me is to ensure that the firm continues to offer something different to clients and staff. I am looking forward to working with the senior leadership team to build upon the firm’s long-running success and to ensure that our business is well positioned for the next decade.”
Paul Roberts commented: “I am delighted that Emily will be taking over as Managing Partner. Emily is a highly regarded lawyer who knows our business and its people inside out and has already shown herself to be great leader. Emily's ability to draw teams together and to engage and encourage people to achieve their best will make her a highly effective Managing Partner. I am confident handing over the reins of the firm to Emily knowing that the expertise, commitment and passion she will bring to the role and the business will inspire our partners and staff to take Forsters to even greater success in the future.”
Emily will work closely with Senior Partner, Smita Edwards, who was one of the founding partners of Forsters, and with the rest of the Forsters leadership team. Paul will continue as a partner in the firm and will focus on supporting Emily and Smita across a number of ongoing strategic projects for the firm before retiring in the latter part of 2020.