Cameron Markby Hewitt and McKenna & Co have chosen a six-strong partnership council to run the newly-merged Cameron McKenna from its launch on 1 May. Each firm has three seats on the council, which will sit alongside senior partner Bill Shelford and managing partner Robert Derry-Evans. McKennas chose members of its existing board – Christopher Powell-Smith, Sean Watson and Ian Dodds-Smith – while, following an election, Camerons chose John Newbegin, Michael Baker and Steve Charge. The new firm will have eight practice groups. Camerons partners David McCarthy, John Newbegin, Anthony Hobkinson and Frank Dufficy are to manage the banking and insolvency, commercial, insurance and reinsurance, and utilities and projects groups respectively. Of the McKennas partners, Guy Billington and Richard Price will jointly manage the corporate practice while Anthony Concanon will run taxation and employee benefits, Tim Hardy will manage litigation, and Nick Brown takes on property.