COLCHESTER-based law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP has promoted three women lawyers to join the partnership with effect from April 1, 2009.Ellen Petersen, a solicitor specialising in commercial property law, and legal executives Kate Wombwell, currently head of private client, and Lisa Munro, who specialises in all aspects of family law, have joined the partnership increasing the number of partners to 16 making the firm one of the largest in the area.

COLCHESTER-based law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP has promoted three women lawyers to join the partnership with effect from April 1, 2009.

Ellen Petersen, a solicitor specialising in commercial property law, and legal executives Kate Wombwell, currently head of private client, and Lisa Munro, who specialises in all aspects of family law, have joined the partnership increasing the number of partners to 16 making the firm one of the largest in the area.

Both Ms Wombwell and Ms Munro have worked for the firm for the last 11 years and Ms Petersen joined three years ago.

Up until March 31, 2009 non-solicitors could not be appointed as partners in a firm of solicitors. The law was changed as of March 31, 2009 and Kate and Lisa are within the first wave of appointees to reach partner level.

Ms Wombwell said: “It is incredibly exciting and rewarding to be recognised for all our hard work and commitment and for Legal Executives at long last to be seen as equals to fellow lawyers.”

Senior partner at Fisher Jones Greenwood Tony Fisher said, “As an innovative, forward thinking and dynamic company, we feel privileged to be one of the first firms of solicitors to have appointed legal executives as partners. FJG has fully supported the training and promotion of all its staff and will continue to do so in the future.”

Fisher Jones Greenwood is both a commercial and family law firm, but is one of very few suppliers in East Anglia that provides social welfare law services.