Stephenson Harwood names new leader as Taylor Wessing merger talks continue

Stephenson Harwood has appointed banking and finance head James Linforth as its next chief executive, as the firm continues merger talks with Taylor Wessing.

Linforth will take over on 1 January 2027 from Eifion Morris, who is stepping down for personal reasons after seven years in the role.

Morris will remain at the firm as a partner and continue advising on the proposed Taylor Wessing combination.

Linforth joined Stephenson Harwood in 2011 and is currently global head of banking and finance.

Merger talks continue

The leadership change comes as Stephenson Harwood remains in exclusive talks with Taylor Wessing over a potential merger that could take effect in May next year, according to reports.

The proposed combination is understood to involve a fully integrated single profit pool structure, rather than Taylor Wessing’s current verein model.

Taylor Wessing operates 16 offices across 11 jurisdictions and has around 700 lawyers. In June, its UK, Dutch, Irish and Belgian businesses left the firm and merged with US firm Winston & Strawn to form Winston Taylor.

Taylor Wessing generated €313 million in revenue in 2025/26, while Stephenson Harwood reported revenue of £302 million for 2025/26, down 2%.

Senior partner Paul Thwaite said Linforth had played a central role in the firm’s growth and was the right person to lead its “next chapter”.

Linforth said: “It is a privilege to have been appointed Chief Executive of Stephenson Harwood. I look forward to working closely with Eifion, our partners and colleagues to ensure a smooth handover and continued momentum across the firm.”

The firm said its strategy and international growth plans remain unchanged, including the ongoing discussions with Taylor Wessing.