Stephenson Harwood has boosted its corporate practice with the hire of former Ashurst partner Duncan Stiles.

Stiles will join the top 40 UK firm on 3 August after leaving Ashurst earlier this year. He had spent 18 years at the firm, making partner in 2000.

His M&A practice covers a broad range of sectors including real estate, defence and aerospace, services and facilities management and media/publishing.

Stiles becomes Stephenson Harwood's 17th corporate partner. He had most recently been partner-in-charge of Ashurst's US activities, having previously launched the firm's Madrid office in 2001.

Stiles commented: "The quality of the people and their work, when combined with my experience, provides an excellent platform for further developing the profile of an already strong M&A practice."

Stephenson Harwood's recently-released financial results saw the firm post flat turnover of £85.1m for the 2008-09 financial year.

Profits per equity partner (PEP) dipped marginally by 1.6% to £610,000 from £620,000. Over the last five years the firm's PEP has grown from £280,000 to £610,000, an 118% increase over the period.

Stephenson Harwood on the Legal Week Wiki