Stephenson Harwood has appointed aviation litigation partner Paul Phillips to its supervisory council to replace incoming corporate chief Andrew Edge.

The firm's four-member supervisory council, which acts as a non-executive board, makes decisions on governance and partnership matters. It also has supervisory responsibility over the firm's management.

The council handed Sharon White another three-year term as the firm's chief executive last month.

Edge stepped down from the council after he was appointed to lead the firm's corporate practice in the same month, taking over from White. She has led the corporate group since 2004, while combining it with the chief executive role since 2009.

It is understood that eight candidates were in the running for the place on the council. Partners voted in Phillips last month after a soundings process. His role came into effect at the start of April.

The remaining council members are: senior partner Roland Foord, who chairs the group, shipping and offshore finance partner Nigel Porter and shipping and disputes partner Sean Gibbons.

Phillips has been involved in high profile cases including representing one of the men acquitted of the Lockerbie bombing. He also acted for a group of airlines in the deep vein thrombosis group litigation.

He joined Stephenson Harwood in 2005 from Olswang.