Leading lawyers report that there is a large pool of talent working its way through the ranks at the top employment firms.

Senior assistants Lisa Mayhew at Charles Russell and Catrina Smith at Linklaters have impressed. The transaction-driven practice of Macfarlanes' Sean Lavin has caught both the eye of rivals and his own firm. He will become a partner on 1 May.

Baker & McKenzie's Ellen Temperton has just been made a partner, impressing with her "skills and depth of knowledge" and commended for "robustly representing clients" while being "a pleasure to deal with".

Baker & McKenzie's Ellen Temperton is described as "very able" and is the contact partner for some of the firm's newest and biggest clients. Taylor Joynson Garrett's Andrew Granger, Osborne Clarke's Julian Hemming and DJ Freeman's Jane Moorman are all described as "very good and commercial".

Karen Seward, head of Pinsent Curtis' London employment team, is praised for her "up and coming practice, which she has built from nothing over the last 18 months".

Stephanie Dale, head of Denton Hall's practice, is singled out for her client care. Her clients include British Airways, Capital Radio and a number of national magazines.