Kennedys has announced an all-female partner promotions round, with four lawyers making the grade this year.

The firm has promoted three fewer partners this year than in its 2016 round. However, Kennedys' four new partners, alongside the seven lateral hires it made this year, give the firm a worldwide partner count of 200.

Two of the new partners will be based in the firm's London office. The new London partners are Joanne Kelly (pictured), who handles the defence of personal injury claims, and Noelia Mann, who specialises in aviation insurance and has particular expertise in claims in Spain and Latin America.

The firm has also promoted Hong Kong-based Tracy Cheung, who specialises in clinical negligence, healthcare and commercial litigation, and Olivia Delagrange, a maritime specialist based in the firm's Madrid office.

Kennedys' senior partner Nick Thomas said: "A key element of the Kennedys culture is ensuring that people have clear routes to progress their careers, so I am very pleased to welcome Tracy, Olivia, Joanne and Noelia to the partnership."

The firm's seven lateral hires this year are Joanne O'Sullivan in Dublin, who joined from the NHS; Deug Rong Lee, who joined in London from Clyde & Co; Paula Garvey, who joined the Manchester office from Hill Dickinson; and Alan Dury, Suzanne Wilkinson and Paul Bedford, who joined the Sheffield office in April 2017, also from Hill Dickinson. In January, Nick Humphrey joined the Dubai office from Clyde & Co.

The news comes after Kennedys announced earlier this month that it is to merge with 100-lawyer US firm Carroll McNulty & Kull.

Earlier this year, the insurance specialist launched a formal association with Italian firm Studio Legale Rinaldi Associati and opened a new office in Mexico, following a string of South America office openings in 2016.