Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Julian Pritchard as the firm's new US managing partner.

The New York-based M&A partner succeeds finance partner Brian Rance, who will return to full-time work in the New York finance group after finishing his three-year term in the management role.

Pritchard, who joined Freshfields in 1993 and became a partner in 2002, is dual-qualified in England and Wales and the US. He relocated to New York from Tokyo in 2007, after having previously been based in New York during a year-long secondment at David Polk & Wardwell in 1999.

His practice focuses on complex cross-border M&A transactions.

Freshfields joint senior partner Guy Morton said: "Julian's US and international experience and expertise will help us to continue building our presence in this important market. We take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to Brian for his work leading our US practice over the past few years."

Pritchard said that under his management the US offices will continue to grow at a measured pace. The firm currently has 120 lawyers in New York and Washington, of which around 100 are based in New York. The firm also has a total of around 200 US lawyers worldwide.

Pritchard said: "The strategy has always been to grow in the US but with people of the highest quality and in strategically aligned areas. Quality is the mantra for us."

Freshfields' US practice spans antitrust, competition and trade, corporate and securities, dispute resolution, finance, private equity and tax. It also has a dedicated Latin America practice group.