A&O internal promotions fall as firms go on partner spree

Allen & Overy's summer promotions to partnership has dropped by 10 this year to 17 new internal partners.

But the firm says the fall in internal candidate promotions is offset by the increase in lateral hires - it says 35 partners have been appointed internationally and in the UK since August 1998. This figure includes partners recruited from Paris firm Gide Loyrette Nouel last month and lateral hires from Bangkok, Frankfurt and London.

Last year, Allen & Overy appointed 27 internal partners. But a total of 41 were made up, 13 of whom were appointed after a merger with Italian firm Brosio Casati.

This year's intake includes: Jonathan Bevan, Jacqueline Evans and George Link in banking; Vanessa Blackmore and Nigel Pritchard in corporate; Simon Hill and Daniel Shurman in international capital markets; Susan Hazledine in litigation; and Imogen Moss in property.

New partners in the international offices include: Max Aaron (US law group, Milan); Alex Cohen, (US law group, London); Cathleen McLaughlin (US law group, New York); Eva Hegedus and Jonathan Porteous (Budapest); Vaclav Valvoda (Prague); Silvia D'Alberti (Rome); and Antonella Capria (Milan).

Lewis Silkin is also joining in the partnership spree. Its four promotions - Gillian Cordall (corporate), Brinsley Dresden (litigation), Nigel Edwards (corporate), and Amanda Howard (litigation) - bring the firm's number of partners to 26.

Paisner & Co has appointed seven partners: Paul Miller and Jonathan Morris in corporate; Ian De Freitas in commercial litigation; Richard Leedham in reinsurance; Alexandra Davidson in employment; and Paul Whitehead and Daniel Simon in trusts and estates.

Gouldens' three internal partner promotions bring its count to 36. James Brokenshire has been appointed to company and commercial; and Mark Emerson and Anthony Manning have been made partners in property.

And Lawrence Graham has internally appointed two partners to its corporate and commercial department; Wendy Batchelor and Hugh Maule lift the firm to 79 partners.