The former London managing partner of Morgan Lewis, Bob Goldspink, has been appointed as a non-executive director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

The high-profile litigator retired from Morgan Lewis at the end of September after 12 years at the US firm. He had been managing partner of the firm's City office since 2004.

He has been appointed to the part-time role for the next three years and will sit alongside former director of Rothschild banking group Alan Graham and the former chief constable of Wiltshire Constabulary, Dame Elizabeth Neville.

SFO director Richard Alderman commented: "I am delighted that Bob has decided to join us. He has a wealth of experience and is well respected in his field. The SFO will benefit greatly from his legal expertise and his insight into customer focus."

Goldspink was replaced at Morgan Lewis by Charles Lubar, who was part of the team that founded the firm's London office and managed it until the mid-1990s. He has been a partner at Morgan Lewis for almost 30 years and also heads up the firm's London tax practice.

Goldspink's retirement left Morgan Lewis with just two UK litigation partners, with the US firm stating its intentions to focus on growing its corporate, energy and employment practices in the City.