PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners

Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens promotes four to partnership - two in the London office. They are Guy Norfolk in the corporate team and Chris Vause in banking and finance.

National firm Irwin Mitchell promotes corporate specialist Andrew Woolf.

Mike Turner joins the corporate group at south-west firm Osborne Clarke’s City office as equity partner. He was formerly CEO of investment manager Oakfield Partners.

Litigator Kit Jarvis joins the commercial litigation practice at City firm Field Fisher Waterhouse from Howrey.

London firm Silverman Sherliker strengthens its litigation department with the hire of Richard Pearlman from Roiter Zucker, where he was a partner.

In Maidstone, asb law promotes Vicky Stoodley to partner and head of the planning department.

In Tunbridge Wells, south-east firm Cripps Harries Hall promotes Amanda Andrews in the family team.

South-coast firm Moore Blatch promotes Helen Starkie in the private client team and Martin Duck in land development to equity partner, while Paul Walshe in lender services becomes a partner.

To the Midlands, Lichfield firm Keelys promotes Hitesh Punjani in the corporate department.

National firm Shoosmiths boosts its Birmingham finance team with the appointment of Helen Wilson from regional firm Geldards.

York firm Denison Till promotes Martin Frost in the corporate department.

Associates/assistants

Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens promotes three to associate in its London office: Mary Swaine in the employment, pensions and benefits team and Katherine Bichard and Alex Coulter in the property team.

Two join west London firm Parfitt Cresswell: Bradley Powell in the commercial property team from Wellers in Bromley and Gavin Govinden in company/commercial from Aiston Solicitors in Croydon.

Property litigator John Midgley joins London firm Seddons from Comptons.

Thames Valley firm Pitmans recruits Rishi Sharma to its corporate team from the London office of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Anita Wong in its dispute resolution and insolvency team from Fladgate.

Asb law promotes two to associate: Sara Carpenter in the Maidstone corporate finance team and Lyndsey Ratcliffe in the commercial litigation team in Crawley.

Newbury firm Gardner Leader appoints Lucy Samara to its inheritance protection team following her qualification with the firm.

Dorset firm Coles Miller promotes Tanya Hall and David Simpson to associate in the family and personal injury teams respectively.

To the south-east where Cripps Harries Hallpromotes seven to associate: Rachel Butler in corporate, Katya Merrick in residential conveyancing, Oliver Morris and Nicola Paffard in real estate, Laura Phoenix in construction, Troy Wano in commercial dispute resolution and Philip Youdan in private client dispute resolution.

Lichfield firm Keelys promotes Ravinder Sandhu to associate in the employment department.

Debra Mitchell joins the finance team at national firm Shoosmiths, based in Birmingham, from local firm Wragge & Co.

Leeds firm Emsleys appoints Rachell Bates to its family department from Harrowells in York.

Doncaster firm Atherton Godfrey promotes company and commercial lawyer Sean Gallagher.

Corporate finance specialist David Strachan joins Leeds firm Schofield Sweeney from national firm Eversheds.

Wrexham firm Gwilym Hughes & Partners promotes criminal law specialists Euros Jones and Elzbeth Kenny to senior solicitor.

MERGERS & NEW FIRMS

Dorset firm Bruce Curtis Turner & Co merged with London firm Nicholas Drukker & Co. The new firm will be called Curtis Turner & Drukker and will practise from London.

Kent firm Hatten Wyatt acquired and incorporated nearby firm Church Bruce. The new practice will operate under the name Hatten Wyatt.

IN-HOUSE

Blemain Group, the Manchester-based lender, appoints Anis Waiz as group legal director from local firm Field Cunningham & Co.