Appleby Spurling and Kempe's new boss will take the company forward into becoming a global name in the world market.

Bermudian Peter Bubenzer on Monday took over as managing partner at the firm, after Dianna Kempe announced she was taking early retirement.

Mr. Bubenzer will be in charge of the day to day running of the Bermuda law firm and its 400 staff, but he is not daunted by the task ahead of him.

"Although I formally took over the role on Monday, with Dianna Kempe travelling as often as she was, there were times I acted as managing partner effectively anyway, so it did not come as a complete shock."

Sitting behind a large desk, piled high with files, Mr. Bubenzer explained what his new role in the company.

"In some way my role is going to perhaps be a little easier than it was before, because I have been head of the Company Department since 1993, which has seen us though some of the most active periods of growth for the firm and for the department, with all the stress and strain that that brings, and then responsibility for managing what was the continuing development of a team base system for a department which is now over 40 lawyers," he explained.

Mr. Bubenzer, who is a member of the telecommunications and technology team at the law firm, added: "The role as managing partner is largely going to be working with the department heads, with the heads of our associated service companies to oversee the continuing development of the business at the firm and its associated companies.

"So I am largely monitoring the work which others are doing on a day-to-day basis and supervising it and implementing the strategic roles for the firm."

At AS&K, Mr. Bubenzer practices a full range of corporate/commercial law, specialising in advising on securities work which includes public and private offerings of public companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and the Bermuda Stock Exchange, structuring and offering of debt and equity of telecommunications companies, and structuring and operations of telecommunication companies.

And this breadth of experience has allowed him to take over the helm of such a large company so early in his career.

Mr. Bubenzer was educated in Bermuda and England. He studied law at Exeter University, England graduating in 1978 with an LL.B. He joined Gray's Inn and after passing his professional exams, was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1979.

After a pupillage in England, he decided to return to his native Bermuda after a stint in Germany and was called to the bar in 1980.

He applied to Appleby Spurling & Kempe and joined as an Associate in the Litigation Department in October 1980.

He then transferred to the Corporate/Commercial Department in 1982, practising corporate law, but with a particular emphasis on securities and funds work.

He became a Partner in the firm in December 1986 and after several years as head of the Corporate/Commercial Department's Fund & Investment Services Team (formerly, Securities Team), Mr. Bubenzer became head of the Corporate/Commercial Department of the firm in 1993.

Mr. Bubenzer is also the Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany in Bermuda, as his father is German and has a great interest in the country.

He is a member of the Bermuda and International Bar Associations and an associate member of the American Bar Association.

AS&K also announced other significant management changes. A. Shaun Morris, a Bermudian and AS&K Partner, has been appointed as Head of the Company Department. Mr. Morris joined Appleby Spurling & Kempe as an Associate in 1988 and has been a Partner since 1995. He practices in the area of company law generally, specialising in advising on shipping and project finance transactions. Mr. Morris graduated from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, in 1981 (BA, Economics) and in 1983 (MA, Economics) and graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1986 (L.L.B.). He was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales in November 1987, and was called to the Bermuda Bar in April 1988. Two other Bermudians will also attain new positions as Kiernan Bell and David Lines, Jr. are admitted to the Partnership of AS&K.

Ms Bell joined AS&K in 1994. She is a member of the firm's Litigation & Insolvency Department where she is a general commercial litigator with practice experience in insurance law, banking law, conflicts of law, shareholder disputes, directors; duties, professional negligence, mergers and acquisitions, e-commerce and transaction risk. Ms Bell gained her law degree at the University of Birmingham, England in 1992. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1993 and called to the Bermuda Bar in 1994.

Mr. Lines joined AS&K in 1997. He is a member of he Insurance Team within the firm's Corporate/Commercial Department where he practices corporate and insurance law specialising in corporate finance, corporate structuring and general insurance regulatory matters. Mr. Lines graduated from London University in 1992 with a Bachelors of Law (Hons). He was called to the Bermuda Bar in 1998.

AS&K also announced that after over twenty years of dedicated service Partner, F. Chesley White has retired from the firm. Well known particularly amongst the local insurance industry, Mr. White became a partner of Appleby Spurling & Kempe in December 1980. Prior to that he had practised law as an associate of the firm since 1978. His first two years of practice were spent in civil and criminal litigation and then he transferred to the corporate/commercial Department where he focused on general corporate law specialising in insurance and reinsurance law.