Pinsent Masons announces 2020 partner promotions

Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has announced 17 new partners in its 2020 promotion round as it promotes outside of traditional legal services for the first time.

Hayley Boxall has been made partner in Forensic Accounting Services while director of Client Solutions David Halliwell has also been promoted to partner as the firm strengthens its capabilities as a professional services business with law at its core.

The remaining 15 new partners are from the firm's five core global sectors; Energy, Financial Services, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Advanced Manufacturing & Technology.

The promotions, which take effect on 1 May, bring the total number of partners to 474 with female representation across the partnership reaching approximately 28%. This year, almost half of those promoted are women signalling the firm's continued progress towards a position where promotions demographics reflect the pool from which candidates are drawn.

Richard Foley, senior partner at Pinsent Masons, says:

"We are incredibly proud of the talent, skill and dedication of all of our people. As we all take stock and adjust to the challenges we face prompted by COVID-19, it's heartening to have some positive news that helps us look to the future. Those promoted strengthen our position as a leading sector-focused, multinational legal services provider and mark an important step in our transition to become a professional services business with law at its core.

"The firm's commitment to provide its clients with innovative, solutions-based legal services is the touchstone of our business.  Now, more than ever, developing talent that supports this is critical as our clients grapple with the challenges posed by coronavirus."

Pinsent Masons was one of the first law firms to establish an in-house forensic accounting team, offering clients a multi-disciplinary approach to disputes, consultancy services and investigations. 

As the partner leading Client Solutions, David Halliwell works with a wide range of professionals across the firm to help clients transform the way they deliver legal services to their businesses, both through the firm's existing portfolio of process, resourcing and technology solutions and through collaboration to create new ones.

The full list of those promoted to partner is as follows:

Dawn Allen (Financial Services, UK)
Simone Alphonse (Energy, Infrastructure, Australia)
Catherine Bendeich (Energy, Infrastructure,  Australia)
Hayley Boxall (Forensic and Accounting  Services, UK)
Matthew Brewer (Financial Services, UK)
Andrew Brydon (AMT, Infrastructure, UK)
Oliver Crowley (Financial Services, UK)
David Halliwell (Client Solutions, UK)
Karah Howard (Energy, Infrastructure, Hong Kong)
Gemma Kaplan (Financial Services, UK)
David Lancaster (Advanced Manufacturing & Technology, UK)
Nick McDonald (Energy, Real Estate, UK)
Ann-Marie Salmacis (Real Estate, UK)
Michael Smith (Real Estate, UK)
David Stoppelmann (Energy, Germany)
Alasdair Weir (Energy, infrastructure, UK)
Kathryn Wynn (Financial Services, UK)