Reed Smith has taken steps to bolster its restructuring and insolvency practice in London with the hire of a partner from McDermott Will & Emery.

Georgia Quenby joined Reed Smith on 1 April, becoming the fifth partner in the US firm's City restructuring and insolvency team.

She joined McDermott in February 2007 from Nabarro, prior to which she was a senior associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Richard Spafford, the vice chair of Reed Smith's financial industry group, commented: "We are extremely pleased that Georgia is joining us. 2009 was a very busy year for Reed Smith's global restructuring and insolvency group and the addition of Georgia to our London team will not only add to our strength in London but will, given her experience and dual qualification, further increase Reed Smith's ability to handle complex cross-border work."

Quenby's arrival at Reed Smith marks the firm's sixth hire in London so far this year, following on from the recruitment of the founding and managing partner of Troutman Sanders' London office, John Varholy, who joined Reed Smith's City energy, trade and commodities practice in March.

In March, the firm hired an advertising team from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, including legal director Marina Palomba.