Pinsent Curtis Biddle has lost its highly rated national head of corporate recovery, Patrick Corr, to the London office of US firm Sidley Austin Brown & Wood.

He will join Sidleys as a partner, specialising in cross-border bankruptcy work, and expects to make the move in July.

Corr already has experience of US insolvency work having recently represented a US energy company on the creditors committee of Enron.

"We are sorry to see Patrick leave the firm, but understand the career opportunity," said Pinsents' national senior partner David Ryan. "We wish him well for the future."

Leeds-based Corr is Pinsents' most high profile insolvency partner. However, a spokesman for the firm stated that Pinsents had been aware of Corr's plans for some time and was already recruiting to fill the gap.

Sidleys' head of international corporate reorganisation, Larry Nyhan, said: "We are delighted that Patrick will be joining us. We see his appointment as a further significant step in the continued growth of our corporate recovery and insolvency practices in London."

Corr's appointment brings Sidleys' UK insolvency group up to three partners and three other fee earners.

The US firm is looking to recruit both partners and associates in the coming months and is aiming to build a dedicated cross-border bankruptcy team.