Half of the four-member KPMG immigration team which had agreed to join CMS Cameron McKenna has instead opted for a move to Penningtons Solicitors.

Last month KPMG announced plans to withdraw from the business immigration market and transfer its practice to Camerons. However, team senior manager Rika Tanaka-Blease and manager Penny Salmon will now join Penningtons.

Camerons' business immigration team, which is headed by City partner and immigration specialist Caron Pope, will have 23 fee earners following the transfer of the remaining two practitioners in the team.

Pope said: "The department is very happy to welcome the two immigrations specialists to the team – this does not impact on the agreed transfer of business as planned with KPMG."

Penningtons immigration head Philip Barth commented: "We are delighted that Rika and Penny have chosen to join us and look forward to seeing them further develop the broad spectrum of services they offer to corporate clients within our experienced team."

KPMG's decision to exit the business immigration market came as a surprise, given recent changes in UK immigration laws which have generated increased workflow in the field.

A fifth member of the non-lawyer KPMG immigration team opted to join accounting rival PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) before the Camerons deal was struck. None of the team members were qualified lawyers.