The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has recruited SJ Berwin lawyer Sheldon Mills as its new director of mergers.

Mills, who will take up his new role on 15 February, joined SJ Berwin's EU and competition practice in January 2007 from the London office of US firm Jones Day.

SJ Berwin's head of EU and competition Simon Holmes said: "While we will miss Sheldon, his appointment is a credit to the excellent merger experience he has had with SJ Berwin over the last few years. We wish him the very best in his new role."

He added: "This is a good example of the 'revolving door' between private practice and the competition authorities."

Mills said: "I have had some great experience in competition law at SJ Berwin but the chance to serve as director of mergers at the OFT was too good an opportunity to turn down."

SJ Berwin has recently seen a number of lawyers leaving for public positions. Senior director Nick Anstee left the firm in the autumn to take up the highly-regarded role as Lord Mayor of the City of London, while long-term partner Jonathan Djanogly retired from the firm in July to pursue a full-time political career in the Conservative Party.