Clifford Chance now world's biggest law firm after adding 72 partners...

Clifford Chance's international offices are being bolstered by a record number of partnership promotions.

The global giant has appointed 72 new partners, 39 more than last year. It now has 630 partners, making it the largest law firm in the world.

Clifford Chance's nearest rival, Baker & McKenzie, has 582 partners. Its internal promotions are not expected to be announced until later this year.

The appointments are the first since the merger with Rogers & Wells and Punder Volhard Weber & Axster last year.

The German arm has particularly benefited from the promotions. Frankfurt gains an extra 12 partners, most of which are in corporate.

Four more partners join the Dusseldorf and Berlin offices and one more joins the Leipzig operation.

Clifford Chance chairman Keith Clark says: "These past 12 months have seen us execute a three-way merger many believed was impossible yet still record our most successful financial year to date.

"The record number of lawyers appointed to partnership reflects this.

"We have got off to a flying start, winning cross-border mandates none of the predecessor firms would have won."

The UK benefits from a further 21 partners in litigation, corporate, finance, tax and employment and pensions.

The New York and Washington offices have appointed 10 and five new partners respectively.

Other operations to increase the number of partners include Amsterdam, Budapest, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona and Warsaw.

The firm follows hot on the heels of Allen & Overy, which last week also made up a record number of partners (The Lawyer, 24 April).