Shoosmiths ready to welcome non-lawyer partners

Shoosmiths has joined the growing number of firms promoting non-lawyers to partnership level equivalent in its latest round of partnership promotions.

The firm has promoted eight to the partnership and two non-partners to the equivalent level. Chief executive Paul Stothard said the firm now has five associate directors who would be eligible to join the partnership if the regulator lifted restrictions on them doing so.

"The only artificial barrier to them joining the partnership is the regulations," he said.

The firm's promotions were based on "meritocracy", added Stothard. "Over the last few years Shoosmiths has been focusing on advisory transactions and not so much on volume, but we have always had good people in both areas of the firm."

Nottingham saw three partnership promotions: Peter Andrews focuses on competition and procurement; Emna Sfar-Gandoura focuses on commercial property; Michelle Sherwood becomes a commercial partner.

In Milton Keynes Graeme Simpson becomes a pensions partner and Karen Shakespeare becomes a private client partner.

Stuart Angus becomes a residential conveyancing partner in Northampton; Andrew Farmery joins the commercial property partnership in the Thames Valley office and Lynn Knight becomes a corporate partner in Solent.

The two partner equivalents, Kay Taylor and Lisa Emery, have been promoted in the firm's Basingstoke office with a focus on clinical negligence and personal injury respectively.