Lee Ranson has been elected unopposed to serve a second four-year term as chief executive of Eversheds Sutherland’s international arm.

The move provides continuity for the firm during the Covid-19 crisis and recognises his role in steering legacy UK firm Eversheds through the first critical years of its merger with Atlanta-based Sutherland Asbill & Brennan.

Pamela Thompson, chair of the international business, said the firm had gone from “strength to strength” under Ranson’s stewardship “despite geopolitical and economic turbulence and, now, an unprecedented health crisis”.

Ranson added: “The firm has changed beyond all recognition in the 30 years since I first joined, and I am proud of everything that we have achieved together.”

Ranson took over from Bryan Hughes as chief executive in May 2017, three months after the Eversheds Sutherland merger went live, creating a £600m firm with approximately 2,000 lawyers across 61 offices in 29 different countries.

However, his management experience extended back to 2006 when he became head of real estate and real estate litigation before becoming managing partner in 2009, overseeing the business’s day-to-day operations.

In August, the firm’s international arm posted a 2% increase in profit-per-equity partner to £902,000 against an 8% rise in revenue to £592m.

Ranson, however, struck a cautious note pointing to a “testing year ahead”.

In June, the firm announced it was calling time on its three-year Singapore joint venture with local firm Harry Elias and was re-evaluating its plans for the country. 

Earlier this year, Acritas research suggested the firm’s strategy of leveraging its global network in the US market was starting to pay off when it became a top 20 US brands for the first time.

James Batham, head of retail at Eversheds Sutherland, will feature in a panel on business building during Covid-19 at the Law Firm Marketing Summit, which is hosted by The Global Legal Post and takes place on 13 October. Click here to view the programme.