Howard Kennedy has promoted two lawyers to its partnership in the firm's latest promotions round, which will take effect next month (1 September).

Employment lawyer Naylah Hamour and finance solicitor Samantha Hook will both join the partnership, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 62.

Hamour, who joined the firm last year from Harbottle & Lewis, deals with both contentious and non-contentious employment matters including high-level exits, senior executive remuneration packages and termination agreements. She is also involved in transactional work including corporate restructuring.

Hook, who joined Howard Kennedy in 2006 from Finers Stephens Innocent, specialises in financing, refinancing, acquisitions, disposal leasing and management work as well as Islamic finance transactions.

The promotions come after the firm decided to merge its property finance and banking departments to create a new finance transactions department, which Hook will join on her promotion.

The firm also made several management changes, with Mark Dembovsky taking over as chief executive and Michael Harris taking over at the helm of the corporate practice.

Commenting in the promotions, Dembovsky said: "The partners and I are delighted to welcome Naylah and Sam to our partnership. They are both fantastic lawyers and valued members of the team here at Howard Kennedy and fully deserve the recognition they have been given."