Irwin Mitchell has made up two more non-lawyers to its equity partnership ahead of the firm's conversion to an alternative business structure later this year.

Human resources director Andy Chalmers and business development and communications director Ian Powell have both become equity partners, bringing the number of non-lawyer partners at the firm to four.

In addition, two salaried partners have also joined the firm's equity – City personal injury lawyer Tracey Storey and Birmingham-based workplace illness lawyer Alida Coates.

The appointments, which took effect on 1 May, come a year after Irwin Mitchell was one of the first UK firms to convert to Legal Disciplinary Practice (LDP) status, allowing non-lawyers to form up to 25% of its partnership.

Last year the firm made up two non-lawyers, with group finance director Mark Dakin and costs manager Steven Green becoming equity partners.

Group chief executive John Pickering (pictured) commented: "I am delighted to see both lawyers and non-lawyers entering our equity structure. This is further proof that Irwin Mitchell is a diverse firm which continues to reward people from legal and non-legal backgrounds."

Chalmers joined the firm in 2007 and has responsibility for all the firm's HR, recruitment and training, while Powell, who joined the firm in 1999, runs the firm's marketing, communications, business development and e-business programmes.

The news follows last month's announcement that the firm had made up seven lawyers to salaried partners and one non-lawyer to the salaried partner-equivalent of associate director.

Irwin Mitchell also recently completed an overhaul of its management structure and practice stream makeup in preparation for its planned ABS conversion later this year. The firm has split the business into a limited liability partnership and a separate holding company and appointed a new board to manage both parts of the firm.