SJ Berwin media partner Peter McInerney has left the firm with his assistant to join City media practice The Simkins Partnership.

McInerney joined the firm with assistant Aliboo Taylor on 1 May and will work in the firm's film and television department, which is led by Nigel Bennett and Anthony Gostyn.

The appointment takes the number of partners at Simkins to a total of 23.

Simkins acts for many of the UK's leading media clients including Granada, EMI, Sony Europe, FilmFour and Corbis, as well as for individuals including Sebastian Faulks, Geri Halliwell and Sir Cliff Richard.

McInerney was a partner at SJ Berwin for more than 13 years and was one of the founding members of its media and entertainment department.

He told Legal Week: "I have enjoyed my time at SJ Berwin and have the highest regard for the firm, but I am looking forward to working in an environment where commercial legal work for media and entertainment clients is at the heart of the firm's business."