Arnold & Porter has bolstered its London office with the hire of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's former European M&A head in the latest stage of its push to strengthen its position in the City.

Carl Liederman's appointment from the Geneva arm of Winston & Strawn, announced last week (5 June), comes in the wake of a series of hires by Arnold & Porter in London.

The Washington DC firm brought in employment partner Henry Clinton-Davis from US rival Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to launch its employment practice in May and hired Paula Levitan, former vice president and associate general counsel of retail chain Gap, for its corporate practice in January.

Liederman, who will be leading Arnold & Porter's European M&A team, spent four years at Orrick before joining Winston in 2006.

All three hires follow a decision made by the firm just over a year ago to build up the City office.

Tim Frazer, partner-in-charge of Arnold & Porter's London office, told Legal Week: "We have had a growth strategy in the last year which has seen a re-emphasis of investment in London and New York. The key to the expansion is not to increase headcount for the sake of it but to get the right numbers in the right places to create a strengthened team."

Last year Frazer was named as the first non-US partner to head up the London office since its launch in 1997. Areas highlighted for expansion since he took on the role are the core practices that the firm is known for in the US, including intellectual property, antitrust and life sciences.

The office currently houses more than 30 lawyers, including 13 partners. Frazer believes around 50 would be a sensible ambition, though the firm does not have targets for turnover or headcount.