Manchester firm Wacks Caller has disintegrated, Legal Week can reveal, with regional rival Pannone hiring a team of four partners and 20 lawyers from the corporate finance boutique.

The move, which ends two years of speculation over the future of the northwest practice, sees founding corporate partner Martin Caller quit the firm alongside litigation chief Kit Sorrell, litigation partner Michael Kennedyband commercial property partner John Gower Jones.

The quartet, who all join Pannone as consultants on 3 July, are expected to take with them about 20 additional fee earners and trainees, and at least 10 support staff.