Two Bermudian women were promoted to the position of partner at Appleby the firm announced yesterday.

Both Janita Burke and Vanessa Lovell Schrum have worked their way up at the international firm for approximately a decade.

In total the firm promoted seven people to the level of partner and employed an additional 46 lawyers in 2007 including three lateral partner additions and one senior Counsel.

Ms Burke has over eight years of corporate experience and is a member of the firm's insurance team while Ms Lovell Schrum is a member of the firm's Trust Practice Group and has been with the company since 1988.

Ms Burke is part of the firm's inter-disciplinary segregated accounts team and was instrumental in drafting the Segregated Accounts legislation. She received her LLB (Honours) from Warwick University in Coventry, England in 1997, passed the Legal Practice course at the College of Law, London in 1998, joined the group in 1999 and was called to the Bermuda Bar in the same year.

She is a Commissioner of Oaths and a Notary Public in Bermuda.

Ms Lovell Schrum is a member of the Bermuda Bar Association and the Law Society of England and Wales and is presently on the committee of the STEP Bermuda branch.

She has contributed articles on Bermuda to various legal publications and presents locally and internationally on trust and estate law and is currently the jurisdiction editor for Bermuda for the ITPA Portfolio of Laws.

She attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours majoring in economics.

She then attended the University of Wolverhampton in England and originally qualified as an English solicitor in 1998 after articling for two years with Penningtons in London, England.

She joined Appleby in November 1998 and was called to the Bermuda Bar in July 1999.

"Our success is defined by our people," added Shaun Morris, managing partner of the Bermuda office.

"Janita and Vanessa represent collectively nearly two decades of legal experience and are highly regarded by their colleagues and clients alike.

"We are pleased that professionals of this calibre are committed to ensuring Appleby's continuing success."

Bermuda-based firm IBC/ZipX Management has appointed a new vice-president and CEO, and chief operating officer in a management shake up.

Gordon Bussell, vice-president and CEO at IBC, has announced that he intends to retire on September 30, 2008, and he stepped down from his current position effective from yesterday to ensure a smooth transition.

Mr. Bussell has also been acting as chief financial officer and he shall continue in this capacity effective yesterday until his retirement.

Consequently, the company promoted Rick Craft to the position of vice-president and CEO with effect from yesterday.

Mr. Craft has been the chief operating officer at IBC for the past four years and also responsible for sales and marketing.

He has been with IBC since May 2000 and has played a major role with the management team in the growth of the company.

Shannon Burgess was subsequently promoted to the role of chief operating officer, also with effect from yesterday.

Mr. Burgess joined IBC in October 2001 and has been vice-president of customer service, and will continue to also have direct responsibility for customer service in his capacity as chief operating officer.