Field Fisher Waterhouse has launched a corporate practice in its fledging Brussels office after hiring a partner from local independent Lawfort.

Corporate partner Marie Evrard has joined the firm with assistant Louis-Francois du Castillon to lead the practice.

Evrard advises companies on all aspects of Belgian corporate law including M&A, private equity, joint ventures and corporate governance.

The appointment comes less than a month after Field Fisher's Brussels office hired a four-lawyer pensions team from Benelux leader Loyens & Loeff.

Andrew Blankfield, head of Field Fisher's corporate group, said: "We wanted to swiftly build a capability that the Brussels team did not have and that is part of a co-ordinated corporate practice across Europe."

Eric Cusas, managing partner of the Brussels office, added: "We are putting in place solid foundations for accelerated growth in Belgium."

Field Fisher, which now has 24 partners in its international corporate group, has been building its European operation since its decision to dissolve its continental alliance in March. It launched the Brussels office with the hire of a team from former alliance member Verhaegen Walravens and opened in Hamburg with partners from another former alliance member, Buse Heberer Fromm.

The firm is also in merger discussions with Paris outfit Dubarry and has agreed exclusive relationships with Jimenez de Parga in Spain and La Scala in Italy.