Linklaters Spanish tax head has joined Herbert Smith's new Madrid office, becoming the fifth partner to make such a move in the last three months.

Nicolas Martin joined Herbert Smith this week along with two associates. He had been a partner in Linklaters' Madrid office since 2001 when he joined the firm from KPMG.

The hire takes the number of partners at Herbert Smith's new Spanish base to seven, along with 10 associates. Fourteen of the office's total headcount of 17 have joined from Linklaters, including five partners.

Herbert Smith launched the office in May after hiring a three-partner team from Linklaters, with corporate partner Alvaro Sainz, energy and infrastructure partner Miguel Riano and administration law partner Ignacio Paz departing the magic circle firm.

Herbert Smith also relocated City finance partner David Wyles to Madrid to head the local finance practice and form a management committee along with Sainz and Riano.

The latest departure leaves Linklaters' Spanish practice with eleven partners, including one tax partner, Javier Garcia-Pita.

News of the hire comes as Clifford Chance (CC) names Alberto Manzanares as the new head of its Spanish banking and finance practice. He will replace Spanish senior partner Jaime De San Roman in the role when he leaves the firm at the end of this month. CC is not planning to replace De San Roman in the senior partner role.

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