Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) has boosted its regulatory department with the hire of a new partner from the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

Stephen Francis is set to join the City firm at the end of the month as a partner. He was previously a manager of one of the FSA's wholesale enforcement teams dealing with cases of criminal insider dealing and market abuse, and investigating the control environments within large banks and investment insurance firms.

Prior to joining the FSA, Francis was a partner in DLA Piper's regulatory group and focused on criminal and regulatory investigations brought by state bodies including the Financial Services Authority, the Serious Fraud Office, the police and the Health & Safety Executive.

His arrival increases the number of partners in the firm's core commercial and regulatory practice to four – Francis, Dianne Vander Cruyssen, Sanjay Pritam and Jonathan Davies – and six lawyers.

Managing partner Jonathan Watmough said: "[Francis'] experience will prove invaluable to the firm as we continue to grow, especially in the financial services and insurance arenas. All businesses have to submit to ever-increasing regulation and the very specialist skills that he and the rest of the team have will allow us to add even greater value to our clients."

Last month RPC hired a four-lawyer team from Field Fisher Waterhouse, including partner Martin Barrett, who will head RPC's real estate team, and assistant Sarah Cassidy, who will join as a partner.