Kent firm Stephens & Son has become the first solicitors’ practice to bring a licensed conveyancer into partnership. Alan Johnston (pictured), joint head of the property department, has been with the firm for 28 years.

Stephens & Son now has five partners. Managing partner Jacqueline Shicluna said: ‘The decision to invite Alan to become a partner was not in question. We would have willingly appointed him as a partner many years ago.’

Johnston said he considered partnership to be a recognition of his loyalty and abilities. Though it would not change his day-to-day job, ‘I can now open the post’, he joked.

Two more licensed conveyancers are awaiting Solicitors Regulation Authority approval of their firms’ conversion to legal disciplinary practices before formally becoming partners.

The 34 LDPs to be created so far have between them 17 non-solicitor lawyer partners and 24 non-lawyer partners, eight of whom are accountants. Legal executives make up the other 16 non-lawyer partners, although the Institute of Legal Executives reports that it has issued 36 fellows with certificates of good standing, required by the SRA as part of the process.

Kennedys is the first City firm to appoint legal executive partners: Allan Finlay, head of employment, and Richard Crockford, head of health and safety.