Marketing and PR personnel shuffle up into key roles at top City law firms

The City has witnessed a large turnover of marketing and public relations personnel recently, as marketeers move up the hierarchy of firms.Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's marketing director Georgina Stewart - who oversaw the firm's three-way merger - is leaving to spend more time with her family.

Barry Jackson, head of marketing at Herbert Smith, left recently to work as a freelance consultant.

He has been replaced by John Haresnape, who was formerly with the Economist Intelligence Unit.Nicholson Graham & Jones has appointed a new head of marketing, John Schilling, who has replaced Brenda Willi; Selina Short, who handled the firm's press relations, has recently joined Richards Butler following Mark Chester's move to Nabarro Nathanson.Meanwhile, Baker & McKenzie has divided its marketing and communications structure in London, appointing former UK manager - Judith Green - as chief global press officer, and her deputy Catherine Steed becomes UK PR manager.

The firm is searching for a global marketing director.The hole left by the departure of Allen & Overy's PR, Oliver Pykett, to Bristol-based Burges Salmon has now been filled by Iain Rodger, formerly with SJ Berwin, which is now outsourcing public relations work to Bell Pottinger.

He will shortly also be joined at Allen & Overy by Sean Twomey from Denton Wilde Sapte.Ms Green said the new marketing role at Baker & McKenzie was seen as a key strategic job for someone who would have a close relationship with the managing partner.Brad Sirott, business development manager at Chambers & Partners Recruitment, said marketing directors at magic circle firms who can expect to earn six-figure salaries - are now almost at partner level in terms of influence.

One is thought to earn a partner-level 250,000 salary.Tim Cole, director of human resources at Freshfields, said marketing roles are becoming more important, with the growing trend for firms to nurture international brand names.Tom Rose, chief press officer at Clifford Chance - where he has worked for six years - explained that, during an economic downturn, law firms need marketing to target profit-making clients and sectors, for which there is greater competition.Jeremy Fleming