Berrymans Lace Mawer has hired a brace of partners in a boost for its personal injury department.

Rated partner Roger Brooks joins the national insurance specialist's Manchester arm after a spell at the local branch of Halliwells.

Brooks, who previously trained at Berrymans' London office in the early 1980s, joined Halliwells as part of the top 40 firm's merger last year with Manchester stalwart James Chapman & Co.

He specialises in serious injury caused by accidents in the workplace, public liability and road traffic accidents and has advised a slew of major insurers on claims worth in excess of £1m.

Meanwhile, Stephen Hazleton joins Berrymans' Birmingham office from niche insurance practice Eldridge & Co, where he was a partner. Hazleton specialises in catastrophic injury work.

The duo started in their new roles at the 116-partner firm earlier this month.

Commenting on the appointments, Berrymans senior partner Terry Renouf said: "Both [Hazleton and Brooks] are very highly regarded within the profession. These appointments – together with six lateral partner appointments since April 2006 – reflect the growing breadth and depth of service to our clients."