DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach has bagged a new partner for its Prague office with the hire of commercial partner Peter Valert from CMS Cameron McKenna.

Valert, who specialises in telecommunications, IP and IT, joined the firm last week after 10 years at Camerons, where he headed the firm's office in Sofia and also oversaw the commercial practice in Prague.

Valert said: "Over the last couple of years I needed a different platform… and [DLA Piper's] coverage in the UK, US and Central and Eastern Europe presents a great opportunity to develop business."

His departure follows the loss earlier this year of a heavyweight four-partner real estate team, which quit Camerons' Warsaw office to join the local arm of Clifford Chance.

Meanwhile, DLA Piper has merged with 90-lawyer ally DLA Nordic. The tie-up, which sees Oslo-based real estate partner Espen Moe become regional managing partner for the combined firm, took effect on 1 September and marks the first full merger between a Norwegian practice and an international firm.