Ince & Co has joined a handful of firms in defying the downturn to announce strong growth in revenues.

The top 50 firm saw turnover for 2008-09 grow by 23.5% to hit £79.4m, up from £64.3m last year. In contrast, revenues during 2007-08 increased by 14.5% on the previous year.

The firm's London office brought in the bulk of the fee income, breaking through the £50m barrier. Asia and Europe brought in £14.9m and £11.7m respectively.

Outside London, Ince has offices in Germany, Hong Kong, France, Greece, Shanghai and Singapore. The firm also operates in Dubai as Ince Al Jallaf & Co.

Ince, which had 85 partners at the end of the last financial year, attributed the increase in revenues to its ligitation-focused practice.

The firm has yet to confirm average profits per equity partner (PEP). During 2007-08 Ince increased PEP by 8% to £427,700.

News of Ince's financial results comes after the firm announced its partner promotions. Simon Hems, Daniel Jones and Rory Macfarlane have joined the partnership in London, Hamburg and Hong Kong respectively, taking the firm's total partnership to 88.

Other firms to report increases in revenue over the last financial year include Lovells, Norton Rose, Watson Farley & Williams and Kennedys.