Halliwells makes up five in partnership round

Halliwells has announced its 2009 promotions, with the firm making up five new partners.

Andrew Bell, Ian O'Toole and Estelle Machell have been made up in corporate recovery, pensions and dispute resolution respectively, while Sarah Garth and Chris Thompson have been promoted in employment.

The promotions to the firm's fixed-share partnership, which will take effect from 1 May 2009, all come in the firm's Manchester office.

The total of five promotions falls just short of last year's tally, when six partners were made up. At the time, those promotions took the firm's total partnership to 162.

In addition, 13 associates across the firm's offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and London have been promoted to the rank of senior associate, with the majority of the promotions coming in the firm's dispute resolution team.

Managing partner Ian Austin said: "These promotions are very well deserved. It is due to the quality of our people that we remain on course for a strong end to the financial year."

The only other City player to announce its partner promotions so far this year is Ince & Co, which announced earlier this month that it was making up three new partners.

Last week Halliwells launched its fourth redundancy consultation, with approximately 15 real estate fee earners and 15 support staff under threat. Around 40 jobs have already been lost from the firm's previous redundancy rounds.

In addition, Halliwells deferred its entire 39-strong trainee intake for 2009, moving to a system of two intakes with half set to start in March 2010 and the remainder in August 2010.

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