Kennedys Australia has made what was described as its largest-ever round of promotions in a single year.

The senior staff appointments, which span the Sydney and Melbourne rosters of the insurance and litigation law firm, took effect on September 01. Four were elevated to senior associate status, while six went on to become special counsel.

In a release, Kennedys said the record investment in its Australian arm is a reflection of the global firm’s commitment to an expanded range of services in the country. In addition, it is seen as a testament to Kennedys’ continued growth in a challenging market.

Promoted to special counsel are Beth Altson, Peter Craney, Persephone Forster, Llinos Kent, Jasmine Sandhu, and Emily Unger. Meanwhile Jane Cahill, Kelly Grant, Jemima Griffith, and Beth O’Connor are now senior associates.

“In normal circumstances a group of senior appointments of this size would be a notable achievement for our firm, but it is even more impressive in the current environment,” commented Matt Andrews, Kennedys’ managing partner in Australia.

“It speaks to the depth of talent in our ranks and the growth opportunity in front of us. Our clients’ needs are evolving and increasingly they are putting their confidence in our team to deliver on these needs.”

Outside Australia, Kennedys also made senior associate promotions in the UK (28), Denmark (two), the Middle East (one), and Miami (one, for the Latin America and Caribbean practice).