Allen & Overy (A&O) has made its first lateral hires since its restructuring, with two new partners joining the firm.

The magic circle firm has bolstered its intellectual property (IP) practice with the addition of Neville Cordell, who joins from DLA Piper, and Huw Evans, who joins from Wragge & Co.

The duo will focus on contentious IP matters across a variety of industries, including life sciences, financial services, information and media, and technology.

Their arrival will significantly boost the firm's IP litigation practice, which previously had just one partner, Nicola Dagg.

Dagg said the arrivals will help to boost the firm's patent litigation, trademark, design right, copyright and confidential information litigation capabilities.

She said: "Their arrival, alongside the recent internal promotion of Laetitia Benard and Nadine Hermann as IP partners in Paris and Hamburg respectively, enables us to increase our strength in IP dramatically and to meet the growing needs of our clients in this critical marketplace."

A&O litigation chief Tim House said: "The strengthening of our London team, coupled with our leading expertise in key jurisdictions across Europe, gives us a perfect platform to provide a fully integrated pan-European offering. We know that this team will provide the highest quality advice to our clients in this important, specialist area."

The firm recently completed a large scale restructuring which saw the loss of 47 partners and 200 associates.