Record promotion round at Kennedys as new legal director role introduced

We are pleased to announce we have promoted 86 associates to senior associate and introduced a new legal director role, with 44 legal directors and two special counsel also promoted.

The legal director role is introduced in the UK, EMEA, Singapore and Latin America, and is known as of counsel in Hong Kong and special counsel in Bangkok. The role has been in place in Australia for a number of years now and the title special counsel is used.

This role creates a stronger career structure for senior lawyers at the firm, recognising experienced and technically excellent lawyers who have progressed beyond the senior associate level.

The new career structure, which is part of the firm’s continued focus on developing and attracting talent, gives senior associates the option of progressing either to legal director or directly to partnership. Legal directors will also have the option of progressing to the partnership in the future.

Nick Thomas, global senior partner, Kennedys says: “The new structure is closely linked with Kennedys’ growth agenda and international focus. The fact that we have been able to make so many promotions this year is testament to how members of our global team have risen to the challenges presented by the pandemic and have demonstrated renewed dedication, hard work, commitment and resilience. We’re all the stronger for it.”

Suzanne Liversidge, global managing partner, Kennedys, says: “Congratulations to all 132 who have been promoted. They deserve it. The promotions send a clear message that we offer great progression opportunities across the firm. We want to keep developing career structures that attract and retain top talent across our global offices.”

Suzanne Liversidge Square (1) — Suzanne Liversidge, Managing Partner

Caroline Wilson, global HR director at Kennedys says: “Attracting and developing talent is key to Kennedys continued growth. The role has been in place in Australia for a number of years, and we’ve now introduced it globally. The creation of the legal director role is part of our continued efforts to invest in our people across the business, whether it’s those at the very start of their careers or our senior fee-earners. This change to our career structure gives our lawyers a clear understanding of what they need to do in order to progress their careers at Kennedys, with different options available to suit individuals’ particular skills and experience.”

Those progressing to legal director/of or special counsel will be invited to take part in Kennedys global leadership programme. The programme is intended to enable them to further build their practice and market presence, whilst also enhancing their leadership capability and global strategic networks.

This promotion round follows the ten partner promotions announced in May and coincides with the firm welcoming 34 trainees: In August, the UK welcomed 23 trainees on a training contract, while a further 11 trainees join in September via the SQE training programme. The firm has a 92% trainee retention rate.

Earlier this year we implemented our hybrid working policy which allows its people to work from home up to 40% of the time. The policy is designed to promote a sustainable work-life balance, and are a result of having successfully adapted to new working patterns as a result of the global pandemic.

Legal director / special counsel* promotions

Name	Division	Region – Office
Edwina Fenwick *	Insurance and Liability	Asia Pacific – Australia, Melbourne
Jonathan Shakenovsky *	Insurance	Asia Pacific – Australia, Sydney
Heidi Bloch	Insurance and Commercial	EMEA – Denmark, Copenhagen
Medea Peterson	Insurance	EMEA – Denmark, Copenhagen
Martina O'Mahoney	Liability	EMEA – Ireland, Dublin
Jose Pellicer	Insurance	EMEA – Spain, Madrid
Catalina Botero	Insurance	LATAM – Colombia, Bogotá
Juan Puerto	Insurance	LATAM – Colombia, Bogotá
Vanessa Vargas	Insurance	LATAM – Mexico, Mexico City
Frances Thompson	Insurance	UK - Belfast
Megan Boyd	Belfast	UK - Belfast
Angela Fisher	Insurance	UK - Birmingham
Avinder Sidhu	Healthcare	UK - Birmingham
Katie Tonks	Healthcare	UK - Birmingham
Sandip Sidhu	Liability	UK - Birmingham
Louise Houliston	Liability	UK - Edinburgh
Alex Riley	Liability	UK - London
Alex Scard	Commercial	UK - London
Anna Haigh	Insurance	UK - London
Ben Appleton	Liability	UK - London
Darren Bradshaw	Commercial	UK - London
David Froome	Healthcare	UK - London
David Robinson	Insurance	UK - London
Debbie Larkin	Insurance	UK - London
Dónal Clark	Insurance	UK - London
Elizabeth Wheal	Insurance	UK - London
Erica Aldridge	Commercial	UK - London
Felicity Ingram	Insurance	UK - London
Karishma Paroha	Insurance	UK - London
Laura Madders	Insurance	UK - London
Nathalie Smyth	Insurance	UK - London
Nicola Pangbourne	Insurance	UK - London
Rekha Cooke	Insurance	UK - London
Rhys Davies	Insurance	UK - London
Robin White	Insurance	UK - London
Russell Wright	Insurance	UK - London
Shaan Burton	Insurance	UK - London
Stephanie Power	Liability	UK - London
Tim Hague	Insurance	UK - London
Andrew Davidson	Commercial	UK - Manchester
Lucy Suddaby	Insurance	UK - Manchester
Scott Nightingale	Insurance	UK - Manchester
Geoffrey Shreeve	Insurance	UK – Manchester
Laura Siddall	Liability	UK - Sheffield
Danielle De Val	Insurance	UK - Taunton
Michelle Johnston	Insurance	UK - Taunton

Senior associate promotions

Name	Division	Region
Dilani Patrick	Insurance	Asia Pacific – Australia, Melbourne
Nicholas Driver	Insurance and Commercial	Asia Pacific – Australia, Melbourne
Ingrid Kristiansen	Insurance	Asia Pacific – Australia, Sydney
Nigel Chan	Insurance and Commercial	Asia Pacific – Hong Kong
Victoria Lee	Liability and Healthcare	Asia Pacific – Hong Kong
Vincent Chow	Insurance and Commercial	Asia Pacific – Hong Kong
Joshua Chan	Insurance	Asia Pacific - Singapore
Jason Yan	Commercial	Asia Pacific – Singapore
Peerasak Sukpisit	Commercial	Asia Pacific – Thailand, Bangkok
Martin Trier	Insurance	EMEA – Denmark, Copenhagen
Thomas Arleth	Liability and Healthcare	EMEA – Denmark, Copenhagen
Erin Turner	Insurance	EMEA - Ireland, Dublin
Mark Dunne	Insurance	EMEA - Ireland, Dublin
Cian McGrath	Liability	EMEA – Ireland, Dublin
Graham Duggan	Liability	EMEA – Ireland, Dublin
Michael Prior	Insurance	EMEA – Ireland, Dublin
Shanna Dunne	Healthcare	EMEA – Ireland, Dublin
Luis Paulino	Commercial and Insurance	EMEA – Portugal, Lisbon
Alicia Fole	Insurance	EMEA – Spain, Madrid
Marta Parrondo	Insurance	EMEA – Spain, Madrid
Arnaud Attias	Insurance and Commercial	EMEA – France, Paris
Virginia Couto	Insurance	LATAM – Argentina, Buenos Aires
Pilar Giraldo Leon	Insurance	LATAM – Colombia, Bogotá
Sebastian Escobar Torres	Insurance	LATAM – Colombia, Bogotá
Eduardo Ramos	Insurance	LATAM – Mexico, Mexico City
Kathryn Hume	Liability	UK - Birmingham
Laurence Vahey	Healthcare	UK - Birmingham
Rob Tanner	Liability	UK - Birmingham
Russell Hall	Liability	UK - Birmingham
Christian Lowden	Healthcare	UK – Birmingham
Eliza Kwok	Insurance	UK – Birmingham
Samantha Goward	Healthcare	UK - Cambridge
Colleen Upton	Healthcare	UK – Cambridge
Laurissa Wiltshire	Liability	UK - Chelmsford
Rhumer Hypolite	Liability	UK - Chelmsford
Ross Forest	Insurance	UK - Edinburgh
Kris Kane	Liability	UK – Edinburgh
Amber Jenner	Liability	UK - London
Andrew Hogan	Insurance	UK - London
Andrew Purdie	Liability	UK - London
Andrew Swarbrick	Liability	UK - London
Angela Roberts	Insurance	UK - London
Ben Loechner	Insurance	UK - London
Catriona Wheeler	Commercial	UK - London
Chris Marangou	Insurance	UK - London
Dave Kelly	Healthcare	UK - London
Donald McDonald	Insurance	UK - London
Ed Gibson	Insurance	UK - London
Elizabeth Mason	Insurance	UK - London
Florrie Southgate	Liability	UK - London
Holly Whittick	Liability	UK - London
Kim Carrim	Liability	UK - London
Lauren Brock	Liability	UK - London
Lisa Williams	Insurance	UK - London
Lorna Flynn	Insurance	UK - London
Louise Campbell	Insurance	UK - London
Louise Law	Liability	UK - London
Lucy Pragnell	Liability	UK - London
Madeleine Bertrand	Liability	UK - London
Matthew Bebb	Healthcare	UK - London
Michelle Naidoo	Insurance	UK - London
Milena Iyer	Liability	UK - London
Neil Shah	Insurance	UK - London
Nikki Baynes	Insurance	UK - London
Rachel Saunders	Insurance	UK - London
Robert Calnan	Insurance	UK - London
Robert Corrigan	Liability	UK - London
Roshan Sidhu	Insurance	UK - London
Sarah Ludlam	Commercial	UK - London
Stuart Farlow	Insurance	UK - London
Suzy Oakley	Insurance	UK - London
Tara Mukerji	Insurance	UK - London
Thomas Panter	Liability	UK - London
Andrew Robinson	Commercial	UK - Manchester
Arran Roberts	Insurance	UK - Manchester
Chloe Banks	Insurance	UK - Manchester
Triona Fitzgerald	Insurance	UK - Manchester
Daniel Rainsford	Commercial	UK – Manchester
Daniel Sandler	Liability	UK – Manchester
Gemma Williams	Insurance	UK – Manchester
Geraldine Wharton	Commercial	UK – Manchester
Kadie Cooper	Liability	UK - Sheffield
Rebecca Connell	Liability	UK - Sheffield
Sarah Lord	Healthcare	UK - Sheffield
Chris Murphy	Insurance	UK - Taunton
John Pain	Insurance	UK - Taunton