Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has today announced its latest round of partner promotions, with 24 set to join its global partnership on 1 May.
This year’s cohort of newly promoted partners reflects the firm’s geographic footprint, with 18 promotions made across the UK, three in Europe and a further three in Asia Pacific.
In addition to four Scottish-based lawyers promoted to Partners, a further seven have stepped up to Legal Director.
These promotions reflect the strategic expansion of the firm’s bench strength across its key sectors and practices.
In Pinsent Masons’ Edinburgh office, Chris Owens, Chris Riach and Sarah Munro join the partnership, while Glasgow colleague Rebecca Clark completes the Scottish quartet.
Chris Owens joined the firm in 2005 as a trainee and works across energy, infrastructure and real estate projects. He is a specialist in Student Accommodation and University Sustainability while his expertise in real estate extends to Heat Networks and EV Charging Networks.
Chris Riach was also a trainee at Pinsent Masons before spending five years in-house with a major asset management company, then rejoining the firm in 2022. His appointment boosts the firm’s Life Assurance & Wealth Management offering, one of the most active sub-sectors in financial services, where he will be lead Partner.
Sarah Munro leads the 10-strong Employment & Reward (E&R) team in Edinburgh while providing support to colleagues in Aberdeen. As lead in the firm’s E&R Energy sector and Global Investigations Teams her appointment aligns with Pinsent Mason’s commitment to Energy Transition.
Part of the Financial Services group, Rebecca Clark is a funds lawyer who works across high-value, complex and international transactions and her appointment adds strength to Pinsent Masons’ UK asset management and investment fund practice which is headed up by David Young.
In Glasgow, Heather Hutcheon, Ross Cooper and Sinead Hastings have been promoted to Legal Director, alongside colleagues Graeme Stapelton, Andrew Crichton and Mark Gillespie in Edinburgh, and Willie Park in Aberdeen.
Significantly, five new partners will join the Technology, Science and Industry practice across the UK and Europe, whilst six partners with renewables expertise have been promoted across Asia Pacific and the UK. These promotions will further enhance the cross-border capabilities of the firm’s market-leading advice in the Energy Transition space.
Pinsent Masons Senior Partner, Andrew Masraf, said: “The depth of talent and breadth of expertise in our newly promoted partner cohort show that we are committed to growing our global reach and technical skillsets. Every year I’m impressed by the commitment and commerciality within our business and these qualities will be essential as we unlock our next chapter of growth.
“The fact that 54% of our new partners are women is a reflection of our efforts to ensure that any barriers to female progression are mitigated and that the partnership is a viable route for all who want to pursue it.”
Katharine Hardie, Chair of Pinsent Masons in Scotland, added: “These 11 promotions at Partner and Legal Director level in Scotland underlines the huge amount of talent we are fortunate to have in the younger generation of lawyers working at Pinsent Masons. It also highlights the opportunities available for ambitious legal professionals to progress, both within the UK and across our global network.”
The full list of those promoted to partner is as follows:
- Cameron Reid, Energy (UK)
- Chris Owens, Energy, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Chris Riach, Financial Services (UK)
- Joanne Falencka, Energy, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Leanne Olden, Energy, Infrastructure & Real Estate (Australia)
- Lyndsey Mitchell, Financial Services (UK)
- Rebecca Clark, Financial Services (UK)
- Claire Brodrick, Energy (UK)
- Clare Mirfin, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Richard Cantrell, Financial Services, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Arjan Reijns, Technology, Science and Industry (Netherlands)
- Attila Bangha-Szabo, Technology, Science and Industry (Germany)
- Virginia De Freitas, Technology, Science and Industry (France)
- Cecilia Hu, Energy, Infrastructure & Real Estate (China)
- David Greenwood, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Eliza Danby, Energy (Australia)
- Elizabeth Harwood, Energy, Infrastructure & Real Estate (UK)
- Jennifer Craven, Financial Services (UK)
- Ben Elliott, Technology, Science and Industry (UK)
- Jamie Robson, Energy (UK)
- Joe McMorrow, Technology, Science and Industry (UK)
- Joshua Willis, Financial Services (UK)
- Francesca Drake, Energy (UK)
- Sarah Munro, Energy (UK)
