First Non-Lawyers Gain Equity Status As Structure Modernised

Leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell has announced the promotion of eight solicitors to Partnership status and also revealed that two other key figures have become the first non-lawyers to gain equity status as the firm continues to adapt its structures.

National Managing Partner John Pickering said he was delighted to announce that Financial Director Mark Dakin and Costs Manager Steven Green had made the step up to become members of the firm's equity structure, the first time someone from a non-legal background had been able to do so.

And he said the move to a Legal Disciplinary Practice signalled the continuing modernisation of Irwin Mitchell as it positions itself to take advantage of opportunities arising from the deregulation of the legal market through the Legal Services Act.

The two non-lawyer promotions come on top of the announcement that eight lawyers have also been elevated to salaried partner status this month, taking the total number with Partner status to 147 as the firm continues to grow its reputation and profile in the legal sector.

Employment expert Glenn Hayes from the firm's Business and Private Client section is one of two Associates to make the move up to Partner in the firm's Leeds office, along with personal injury lawyer Carolyn Heaton, who specialises in acting for people with acquired brain and spinal cord damage.

Two more new Partners come from the firm's personal injury team in Birmingham, with both clinical negligence expert Mandy Luckman and serious injury specialist Stephen Nye making the step up to Partner level.

Head and spinal injury expert Matthew Brown, from the firm's Manchester office, also joins the Partner ranks, along with three lawyers from its Sheffield base, Jonathan Scarsbrook of the firm's market-leading volume legal services division, asbestos-related disease expert Helen Ashton and Medical Law specialist Tom Mather.

The news was hailed by John Pickering, who said he was delighted that the firm had again been able to make the appointments across a number of divisions, emphasising the breadth and quality of Irwin Mitchell's offering to both private and commercial clients.

"We are delighted to announce these appointments and each one of our new Partners thoroughly deserves their success for their efforts over many years," said Pickering.

"The legal market is changing all the time and the promotion of two non-lawyers for the first time to equity status is an important one but it's just one of many innovations in recent years which put Irwin Mitchell at the vanguard of change in the legal sector.

"The last financial year has not been an easy one for any business and the climate remains tough looking ahead to the next 12 months but we continue to be in a very strong position as a firm.

"These appointments are a clear sign that we remain well placed to continue growing as a business, delivering quality service and expertise to all of our clients across a broad range of legal services and meeting the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for all law firms in the coming years."