US firm Bryan Cave has promoted London corporate lawyer Andrew Hart (pictured) to partner ahead of its proposed merger with Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), as Bird & Bird makes up three new partners outside of its regular promotions round.

At Bryan Cave, Hart is the only new partner to have been made up outside of the US, where 12 other lawyers have been promoted across Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Irvine, New York, St Louis and Washington.