The first sole US partner to join Ashurst following its failed merger talks with US firm Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson has left, to join Fried Frank.

Edward Kim became a partner at Ashurst in 2003 when he joined the firm from Dewey Ballantine to become Ashurst's first dedicated US partner in the wake of its failed merger talks with Fried Frank.

He was a partner in Ashurst's US securities and M&A group in London where he worked on US and non-US M&A transactions, corporate restructurings, private placements and joint ventures.

At Fried Frank he joins former Ashurst managing partner Justin Spendlove, now managing partner of the US firm.

Spendlove said: "The increasing convergence of the US and European M&A markets requires the deployment of dual US and European capability."

Fried Frank now has more than 80 lawyers across its European offices in London, Paris and Frankfurt.

Earlier this summer the US firm raided its Paris ally with the hire of name partner Maurice Lantourne and eight associates from boutique Lantourne & Partners. Over the last year it has bolstered its City branch with the launch of a real estate practice led by Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker partner Nigel Heilpern and the hire of a three-partner tax team from Jones Day.