A trio of leading Italian firms have announced their 2011 partner promotions, with Bonelli Erede Pappalardo, Chiomenti and NCTM all boosting 
their partnership ranks.

Bonelli has made up six lawyers to the firm's equity. The promotions, which are effective retroactively from 1 January, see two partners join the equity in the tax practice – Andrea Manzitti and Riccardo Ubaldini – with litigation and public law gaining one apiece, in the shape of Angelo Bonetta and Domenico Ielo. Meanwhile, Stefano Micheli and Giuseppe Rumi have been made up to the equity in the corporate and banking practices respectively.

The announcement comes as the firm, which phased out its junior partner rank in January this year, announced that it would be shortening its partner lockstep from 14 years to 10 from January next year.

Bonelli managing partner Alberto Saravalle (pictured) commented: "These reforms are very important for us. They help ease the transition for young partners and help us recruit more talent. We're a very dynamic firm and we want to show young lawyers that they can have a future here."

Chiomenti has also announced partner promotions taking effect retroactively from January, with the firm making up seven new partners – five in Milan, one in Rome and one in Beijing. The tally compares with two new partners last year.

The bulk of the promotions are in the corporate department, where Simone Bernard de la Gatinais, Corrado Canziani, Filippo Corsini and Sara Marchetta become partners, while Federica Calmi becomes a partner in capital markets, Marco Di Siena a partner in tax and Sebastiano Zimmitti a partner in litigation.

NCTM, meanwhile, has promoted three new equity partners and five salaried partners across its Verona, Milan and Rome offices, with effect from 1 May.

Broken down by practice area, the tally, which is equal to last year's round, sees tax receive two new partners while M&A, corporate and antitrust and competition all gain one apiece. Additionally, tax, M&A and banking each gain one new equity partner, with the promotion of Eugenio Salvi, Annalisa Rossi and Eugenio Siragusa.