NEW YORK, Oct 26 (Reuters) - DLA Piper has submitted to partners a proposal to bring aboard former Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel to serve as co-global chairman of the 4,200-attorney law firm.

Angel, 58, would share the top leadership position at DLA Piper with Frank Burch Jr., 63. The appointment of an outsider to a top law-firm leadership position is virtually unheard of. Although it is common practice among corporations, law-firm managers almost always come from inside a firm.

The addition of Angel also represents a transitional move for the firm. Burch has led the firm through a series of mergers in the last six years to become the world's largest law firm.

Angel most recently was chief executive of Vantage Diagnostics, a London-based health-care data company, which he joined about a year ago.

DLA Piper declined to comment on the matter.

Angel, who was managing partner at Linklaters from 1998 to 2007, is credited with leading the London-based law firm to become one of the most profitable law firms ever, with annual revenues of more than $2 billion and profits per partner of $2.4 million, according to The American Lawyer magazine.

Angel boosted profits at Linklaters by 108% in three years, surpassing those of some of the world's richest law firms, including Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Davis Polk & Wardwell.

The move also underscores DLA Piper's commitment to a global strategy. Prior to joining Vantage, Angel was the executive managing director at Standard & Poor's, where he led the company's Europe, Middle East and Africa business.

(Reporting by Leigh Jones)

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