Ashurst has deferred its 2020 partner promotions round until later in the year due to uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The firm is the first large U.K.-headquartered firm to have reported that it is delaying its latest promotions, which would normally take effect at the start of May.

The firm said in a statement: "We have an outstanding group of future partners and we want to ensure they are set up for success in relation to this next important step in their careers.