Jones Day has made its second lateral hire in the City this year with the recruitment of Mayer Brown competition and antitrust head Frances Murphy.

Murphy will join Jones Day on 1 September as London head of antitrust. Her practice focuses on the pharma, biotech, telecoms, retail and construction sectors.

The London antitrust practice at Jones Day has been without a head since the departure of Greg Olsen to Clifford Chance in 2007. Murphy will become the firm's third London-based antitrust partner.

Jones Day's London partner-in-charge Russell Carmedy said: "In Frances we have yet another excellent partner to advise on a broad range of antitrust issues in the UK and internationally."

Frances added: "I am flattered to have been approached by Jones Day and to have been offered the opportunity the firm has given me. I very much look forward to working with the team to achieve what they have in mind."

The last partner to join Jones Day was property litigator Richard Anyamene, who arrived from LG in March.

At Mayer Brown Murphy will be replaced as head of competition and antitrust in London by partner Gillian Sproul, who has been at the firm since 2005, representing clients in cartel and abuse of dominance cases.

Mayer Brown London senior partner Sean Connolly said: "Gillian has been a significant driving force behind the success of the competition and antitrust practice in London and we look forward to working with her to achieve the continued growth of the practice as part of the firm's global ambitions."