Haig Bathgate has been promoted to the newly-created role of investment director (principal), while Bob Hair became financial planning director (principal).

It was also announced that the managing director of Turcan Connell's international trust services office in Guernsey, Alison MacKrill, had become a partner.

"We strongly believe that it should be possible for client facing non-lawyers to be partners in Turcan Connell and we are actively supporting the progress now being made towards the alternative business structure that will allow this to happen," said Douglas Connell, joint senior partner.

“We regard the appointments of Bob Hair and Haig Bathgate to these new roles as a very significant step along this road and a recognition of the scale of our growing asset management business,” he added.

Turcan Connell was formed in 1997 as a spin out from the private client practice of Dundas & Wilson. The firm, which is headquartered in Edinburgh and has offices in London and Guernsey, has 18 partners and a staff of 280. Its assets under management stood at £500 million (around $723 million) on 31 December 2008.