Hammonds is to promote six to its partnership, a dramatic fall from last year’s record total of 19 promotions.

Peter Crossley

Peter Crossley

This year’s new partners, who are spread across four different offices, are being made up in pensions, dispute resolution and tax.

Managing Partner said: “Hammonds is keen to recognise talent internally and it’s gratifying to see that the investment we’ve made in our training and mentoring programmes for lawyers is paying off, with four of this year’s new partners beginning their careers at the firm.

“Our new partners will play a key role in Hammonds’ future development and

the ongoing success of our clients.”

Four of the six new partners trained at Hammonds and half of them are women.

Last year the national firm made up 19 – 9 per cent of its total number of partners and the largest number it has ever made up in one go. The majority of those joined in Birmingham and four were based in London (14 April 2008).

This year’s new partners, who join on 1 May, are:

Vicky Brown, dispute resolution, London

Riccardo Croce, competition, Brussels

Patrick Ford, tax strategies, Manchester

Sarah Franklin, pensions, Birmingham

Charmian Johnson, pensions, Manchester

James Hennigan, commercial, London