Paul Barnes joined Kirwans in March 2017 and was promoted to senior associate earlier this year while James Barker has been head of the firm’s personal injury department in 2013

Merseyside law firm Kirwans has announced the promotion of both senior associate Paul Barnes and personal injury solicitor James Barker to partner.

Mr Barnes joined Kirwans in March 2017 and was promoted to senior associate earlier this year while Mr Barker has been head of the firm’s personal injury department in 2013.

As a specialist civil and commercial litigation solicitor, Mr Barnes’s areas of expertise are include will and inheritance disputes, professional negligence, building and construction disputes, commercial litigation, partnership and shareholder disputes and agricultural law.

Mr Barker specialises in a wide range of personal injury matters, such as whiplash claims, accidents at work, employers’ liability and occupiers’ liability, as well as Highways Act and road traffic accident claims.

Managing partner David Kirwan said: “Both Paul and James are supremely knowledgeable and skilled solicitors who have shown great commitment to the firm, and their expertise will be of huge value as we continue to grow Kirwans generally across all the departmental disciplines.”

So far this year, three solicitors have been promoted to partner level at Kirwans.

In January, employment law specialist Lindsey Knowles was made partner and is now leading the growth of Kirwans’ Southport office, while continuing to oversee the expansion of the employment law offering as well as helping to develop firm-wide growth.