Chadbourne & Parke has hired international arbitration partner Melanie Willems from Howrey's London office along with three associates.

Willems will join the US law firm's international dispute resolution practice in the City having been at Howrey since 2005, heading up the DC-based firm's London international arbitration group.

Prior to that Willems was a partner at Lovells. Her practice sees her arbitrate before major tribunals including the ICC International Court of Arbitration and the London Court of International Arbitration.

She becomes the 13th partner in Chadbourne's London office with the last partner appointment coming last August with the recruitment of former Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker partner Alper Deniz in the bankruptcy and financial restructuring practice.

Willems commented: "It's an excellent move for me both culturally and professionally. The platform offered by Chadbourne is outstanding and our team's clients will be very comfortable."

Howrey last made an appointment in the City earlier this year after bringing in competition partner Shaun Goodman from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, bolstering one of its core practices. The firm, however, had a disappointing financial year posting a 35% decrease in partner profits for 2009, profits fell from $1.3m (£859,000) in 2008 to $846,000 (£559,000).