Beachcroft has overhauled its claims division, creating a free-standing practice with new senior management.

The national firm's insurance partner James Morris has been appointed to the newly-created role of chairman of the claims division, which has been renamed Claims Solutions.

Meanwhile, insurance partner Duncan Rutter has been appointed practice head and operations director of Claims Solutions, dealing with day-to-day running of the group. Insurance partners Paul Parke and Rhod Richards will take on the roles of technical director and business development director respectively.

Previously the claims division sat within the firm's financial services group headed up by David Pollitt.

In addition the firm has created 11 specialist product lines within Claims Solutions, which will be headed up by a partner or associate. The product lines include: catastrophic personal injury (claims valued at over £500,000), credit hire, disease, motor, property, strategic litigation, costs, claims validation, casualty, safety, health & environment and pre-litigation work.

Morris said: "Our objective in establishing this new structure is two-fold: to assist our clients' overall reduction in indemnity spend while achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in how we allocate and handle the claims, so as to maintain our position as one of the UK's leading insurance practices and compete effectively in what has become an extremely competitive market."

He added: "Pressure to cut legal spend is acute and likely to become even fiercer in this area of claims work, once the first alternative business structures are licensed in 2011."

Meanwhile, the top 30 UK firm has promoted Bristol-based associate Ailsa Roberts to partner. Roberts will take a key role in integrating the firm's high volume personal injury business B2 into Beachcroft LLP. The B2 brand will be phased out by 1 May 2011.