High-profile A&O partner moves to Herbert Smith's fraud practice

Herbert Smith has hired highly-regarded Allen & Overy (A&O) partner Robert Hunter to boost its specialist fraud practice in the City.

Hunter, who currently heads the trust, asset tracing and fraud group at A&O, will co-head Herbert Smith's civil fraud practice alongside current head Simon Bushell. He will join the firm as a partner with a start date yet to be decided.

Hunter has built a strong reputation in the City advising on civil fraud and asset tracing litigation as well as trust litigation work. He has been a partner with A&O since 1991 and is not part of the magic circle firm's partnership restructuring.

As well as co-heading Herbert Smith's civil fraud practice, he will work alongside private wealth and charities practice head Rupert Ticehurst in developing the firm's contentious trust capability.

The civil fraud practice is a specialist part of Herbert Smith's wider litigation and arbitration practice, which counts 50 partners in London alone.

Herbert Smith global head of dispute resolution Sonya Leydecker said: "Attracting a litigator of Robert's calibre is a testament to the market-standing of our specialist fraud expertise."

Bushell added: "He brings a high-profile and well-recognised expertise as a leading practitioner in his field. The combination of his individual reputation with our reputation as a firm in the litigation and arbitration area gives us a pretty compelling force."

The hire comes less than two months after Herbert Smith hired fraud specialist Graham More from the Serious Fraud Office. More rejoined Herbert Smith in August as a consultant, having left the firm in 1999.

A&O will not replace Hunter as head of the trust, asset tracing and fraud group, which will instead fall under the remit of the finance litigation practice headed by City partner Calum Burnett.

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