Ashurst has expanded its London energy and projects practice with the hire of Antony Skinner from Linklaters as a partner.

Skinner, a counsel at the magic circle firm, joins the energy and project finance group after four years at Linklaters. He was promoted to counsel earlier this year.

He was also formerly an associate at US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, having trained and qualified at Linklaters.

Skinner has worked on some of the biggest thermal power and renewable projects in Europe over the last few years, including advising the lenders on Belgium's T-Power IPP and advising the sponsors on the Zephyr wind portfolio.

He will become the seventeenth partner in Ashurst's energy, transport and infrastructure practice on his arrival on 1 October.

Ashurst's global energy head Geoffrey Picton-Turbervill said: "European power and renewables is an area of major focus for us; Antony's arrival will significantly enhance our relationships with developers, utility companies and lenders in Europe, and will complement our existing leading global power practice."

Ashurst has suffered a number of partner losses in recent weeks, including restructuring head Nick Angel to Milbank, transport chief Raymond Beven to Pinsent Masons and communications head Andrew McMillan to Simmons & Simmons.

However, the firm also recruited White & Case's London financial restructuring and insolvency chief Dan Hamilton in a boost for the firm's City restructuring team.