Linklaters has become the latest major City law firm to announce its new partner promotions – making up 28 partners worldwide, including seven in the UK.

The promotions represent a significant drop from last year's partnership round, when the firm made up 38 lawyers to partner, including 15 in London.

The majority of the new promotions are spread across Linklaters' international network, with four new partners in Paris, three in Frankfurt, two in Moscow and one apiece in Munich and Madrid.

Outside Europe, three new partners are made up in New York, while Hong Kong, Dubai and Sao Paulo gain two new partners apiece. One is made up in Shanghai.

Just five of the new partners are women, three of whom are based in the City.

The promotions are effective from 1 May when the firm will have 540 partners – the same figure as at 1 May, 2007, despite the promotions and lateral partner recruitment.

Departures include that of veteran City partner Steven Turnbull, who recently switched to Scottish firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, while its German practice has seen a raft of partner losses over the last year.

Linklaters has also promoted 28 managing associates and two managing professional support lawyers to the role of counsel, effective from 1 May.

Linklaters senior partner David Cheyne said: "The appointments reflect the breadth and depth of expertise across the firm and highlight our commitment to investing in our practices globally to meet client demand."

Meanwhile, LG has promoted five lawyers to its partnership in one of its biggest rounds in recent years. The City firm has promoted two apiece in its wealth planning and real estate practices and one in its corporate group. Last year LG made up only two partners in total with no promotions at all in 2006 and 2005.

New York firm Debevoise & Plimpton this week announced it was promoting six lawyers to its global partnership – including one in the London office.

Keep up to speed with all the latest promotions news with the Legal Week Wiki partnership round special.