Pictured above: (l-r) Challinors new partners Rajinderpaul Singh Bains and Mark Kenkre, both specialist litigation lawyers.

Midlands law firm Challinors has promoted two of its litigation lawyers to Partner.

Mark Kenkre and Rajinderpaul Singh Bains originally joined the firm as Trainee Solicitors and became Associates in 2006. Both become Partners from the 1st October 2009.

Joint head of Challinors niche and dedicated Fraud & Asset Recovery team, which launched earlier this year, Mark Kenkre specialises in commercial litigation, focusing on fraud and asset recovery work acting for central government, corporate institutions and individuals, including work on forensic investigation and asset-tracing for the Treasury Solicitors. He is also noted for his specialism in telecommunications litigation. He qualified in January 2004 and became an Associate in Challinors' Dispute Resolution department in January 2006. 

Based in Challinors' Birmingham office, Mark was recently invited to join the Steering Committee of the Midlands Fraud Forum, an industry-led initiative that aims to promote awareness of fraud issues and educate on effective fraud prevention measures.

Mark is recommended by the annual publication 'Chambers & Partners' as a leading lawyer in commercial litigation - in the latest 2009 edition, he is described as 'highly regarded', and in previous editions as 'instilling confidence' (2006), 'having an ease with clients and telling them where they stand' (2007), 'bringing a practical client-centred approach' (2008). 

Rajinderpaul Singh Bains is a specialist Civil and Commercial Litigator.  He regularly deals with a range of corporate and insolvency work and has developed a particular expertise in commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes. He has extensive experience in possession proceedings, forfeiture, dilapidation claims and lease renewal proceedings and has dealt with some high profile matters in this field. He completed his training at Challinors, qualified in September 2003 and was promoted to Associate in May 2006. Raj currently acts for a range of corporate clients operating within the financial, industrial and property sectors, including managing and letting agents.

Paul Griffiths, Challinors' senior partner and head of the commercial litigation team, comments: "Both Mark and Raj have made a significant contribution to the firm, and individually, carved a strong and deserved reputation for their chosen specialisms, particularly in the Midlands, but increasingly further afield as well. Their promotion to Partner is well-deserved and timely for the firm."