Lawrence Graham (LG) and Stephenson Harwood have bucked the general increase in partnership appointments, it has emerged, with neither firm promoting a single associate to partner.

This is the second year in a row that LG has failed to promote associates to its partnership. Stephenson Harwood, which last year promoted three to its partnership, said the result was a one-off. Both firms cited a number of external hires to partner level as evidence that their partnerships were growing.