Berrymans Lace Mawer has made its first non-lawyer promotion to the equity in a move that has seen the firm convert to a legal disciplinary practice (LDP).

Head of policy development Alistair Kinley has joined Berrymans' equity partnership after five years at the firm alongside four further promotions of salaried partners to the equity.

LDPs, which allow firms to be owned and managed by up to 25% of non-lawyers, are one of the many reforms of the profession ushered in by the Legal Services Act.

Kinley joined Berrymans in 2006 after 10 years at the Association of British Insurers. He advises the firm and its clients on the effects of legislative changes and consultations affecting the profession, and works with government departments and regulators.

National senior partner Terry Renouf (pictured) said: "Alistair has been with us for some time now and the change in legislation meant that we could bring him into the partnership, which we felt was appropriate and is obviously a first for us.

"All firms have to consider the options that have been made available to them by the Legal Services Act and we will continue to look carefully at future possibilities."

The four salaried partners joining the firm's equity are James Harvey in Birmingham, Kerris Dale in Cardiff, Stuart Furniss in Liverpool and Henry Kirkup in Leeds.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert also made up a non-lawyer to its partnership in this year's annual round, with Dene Rowe promoted from operations director in Manchester to office managing partner.