Eversheds has bolstered its UK finance and banking practice with the hire of two partners, it was announced yesterday (16 January), as well as taking on a new corporate partner in Paris.

Alistair Hardie joined the top 10 UK law firm's Birmingham office earlier this week (14 January) from Martineau Johnson. He becomes a partner in the Midlands banking team, where we will work alongside fellow partner Pat Johnstone concentrating on core bank lending.

In addition, Richard Tripp is set to join Eversheds' Leeds office next month as a partner in its finance team. Tripp – who joins from national rival DLA Piper, where he was a senior associate – specialises in restructuring work and has recently worked on a number of deals in the Yorkshire region including the Little Chef administration.

Eversheds finance chief Simon Waller commented: "Banks and other institutions more than ever need senior counsel and advice alongside cost-effective service delivery. Despite the credit crunch crisis, we continue to be extremely busy with banking deals."

He added: "Richard's appointment comes after an upturn in demand for restructuring services, which has been seen across all market sectors, and follows our appointment to the business support and restructuring panel of Barclays Bank."

Meanwhile, Franck Bourgeois joins the corporate department of Eversheds Frere Cholmeley – the national firm's French arm – as a partner. Bourgeois, formerly at partner at Ginestie Magellan Paley-Vincent, specialises in M&A, private equity, corporate governance matters and joint ventures.

In Germany, Heisse Kursawe Eversheds has taken on corporate specialist Timo Holzborn as of counsel. He switches from German outfit Noerr Stiefenhofer Lutz.

The appointments come after Eversheds this month saw corporate partner Mike Spetch quit to join northeast firm Ward Hadaway. He joins the Newcastle-based outfit as a partner this month after a decade at Eversheds.

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