SJ Berwin has made up four associates in its City investment funds practice outside of the firm's normal partner promotions cycle.

The move, which the firm described as "client-driven", has seen Cindy Valentine, Ed Hall and Shawn D'Aguiar join the partnership alongside tax lawyer Laura Charkin.

Valentine, Hall and D'Aguiar all specialise in private fund formation, while Charkin's practice focuses on private fund structuring and executive incentivisation arrangements.

The promotions come ahead of the departure of an eight-lawyer funds team to US law firm Proskauer Rose. The team is headed up by partners Nigel van Zyl and Oliver Rochman, who resigned from the firm in the summer.

An SJ Berwin spokesperson said that while the out-of-season promotions were related to the departures, the move was principally client-driven.

SJ Berwin senior partner Jonathan Blake said: "Cindy, Shawn, Ed and Laura have already achieved a huge amount for our funds clients, and it's striking that clients have been vocal in their support."

SJ Berwin also promoted associates to partner outside of its normal round in both 2010 and 2009.

In 2009 Vanessa Therrode was made up to take over as head of structured finance following the departure of former practice head Brian Carne, while in 2010 the firm fast-tracked the promotion of Darren Rogers to partner in real estate following the departure of a 17-lawyer team led by Jon Vivian to Irwin Mitchell.