City law firm promotes 29 year-old to managing partner

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By Katie King on

Adam Ramlugon is joined by a 27 year-old, who was made partner alongside him

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A 29 year-old Cardiff Uni grad has hit the jackpot and been made the managing partner of a City law firm — and his 27 year-old colleague has been promoted to partner too.

Adam Ramlugon shocked Legal Cheek readers in 2013 when he was made a partner of niche City outfit Bargate Murray aged 27 — just one year after completing his training contract. But now he’s gone and bagged himself an even more impressive title, and assumedly an even heftier fee rate.

Promoted alongside him was his 27 year-old colleague Mark Needham, who qualified as a solicitor into the firm in November 2013.

To be awarded a title that carries such prestige and responsibility at such a young age is novel. As far as Legal Cheek is aware, the youngest person to be promoted to managing partner of a City law firm — until Ramlugon took the title — was Andrew Leaitherland, who was made managing partner of commercial titan DWF when he was 36 years-old.

Probably realising that the men are unusually young to take up these positions, Quentin Bargate — the firm’s founder and senior partner, who is ex-Simmons & Simmons — had this to say on their appointment:

Bargate Murray is a firm that promotes on merit, not time served. Adam and Mark are fully deserving of their rapid rise in the firm and they will, I am sure, remain a credit to the firm and will continue their outstanding work for our clients.

Needham in particular seems to have started very young, with his “strong personal interest in start-up businesses and entrepreneurship” seemingly linked to a 10 year stint he did living in the Cayman Islands.

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Judging by our maths, Needham would’ve been in the Cayman Islands aged eight to 18.

Regardless of the details, Ramlugon and Needham have done something than most late 20 something year olds could only dream of. But let’s be clear — while the firm is based in the City of London, it’s no Linklaters. The boys will be managing a small team of three directors and two trainees — two of which mysteriously share the same surname as the senior partner.

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What we’re not all too sure about is whether or not Ramlugon and Needham’s impressive new job titles carry with them a hefty pay rise. When we contacted the firm to ask whether the men will be salaried or equity partners, we were told:

As a matter of firm policy we do not discuss how the equity in Bargate Murray is held amongst the partners.