International law firm Eversheds has announced the creation of the new role of Legal Director.

The role has been introduced for those lawyers who want an alternative career path to Partnership. This new senior role recognises the technical expertise of many of the highly regarded technical specialists working within Eversheds and it will be recognised and respected as a long term career option.

Chief Executive of Eversheds LLP, Bryan Hughes said: “Our internal research identified an opportunity to distinguish and promote employees who don’t want to go down the traditional route to Partnership, but are still highly valued both by us and our clients. We will be encouraging individuals from across the firm to consider this alternative career path with the express aim of retaining more of our talent by offering an option of a senior role within the firm, which provides an opportunity to be well-rewarded in an alternative career structure to Partnership.”

The process for selection of the first tranche of Legal Directors will begin before the end of 2011 and it is expected that the promotions will be confirmed in May 2012. For jurisdictional reasons the position of Legal Director will be known as Of Counsel in jurisdictions where this is a requirement outside the UK.

At the same time, the firm has announced a rationalisation of job titles below Partner level across its global operations.

Bryan Hughes continues: “As our operations become increasingly global, we have listened to our lawyers and clients and have created a new hierarchy across all of our business which is right for a global firm. A simpler structure supports our strategy of seamlessly deploying the right resources across borders and practice areas as well as giving our lawyers a clear career path.”

All lawyers working across the firm will now be given titles from Associate, Senior Associate and Principal Associate. While a similar structure is already in place in many of the firms international offices, this new structure will replace the UK form of Solicitor, Associate and Senior Associate and ensure consistency across the firm’s 46 offices worldwide. These changes will take effect from 1 May 2012.