Speechly Bircham has made up six new partners in its largest ever annual promotions round.

The new partners, four of whom are female, are all based at the firm's London office.

Two of the new partners – Sarah Morley and Louise Ward – have been added to the firm's real estate partnership.

The construction, private equity, corporate and private client groups have gained one each with the respective additions of Fiona Edmond, Adam Crossley, David Hicks and Alice Neilan.

The promotions, which bring Speechly's total partner count to 82, follow a reduced round last year when the firm promoted one lawyer in its competition group.

The news comes after the firm launched in Paris last November with a four-partner team, and opened its second Switzerland base in Geneva two months earlier.

The firm is currently in merger talks with Charles Russell. A combination would create a UK top 25 law firm with revenues of around £126.3m.

Speechly promotions in full

Adam Crossley, private equity
Fiona Edmond, construction
David Hicks, corporate
Sarah Morley, real estate
Alice Neilan, private client
Louise Ward, real estate