Weil Gotshal & Manges has made a key hire for its London litigation team, taking on McDermott Will & Emery's disputes partner Juliet Blanch.

Blanch – who heads up the law firm's international dispute avoidance and resolution practice group – is set to join Weil Gotshal's two-partner London disputes group, headed up by partner Matt Shankland.

The highly-regarded Blanch joined McDermott in 2005 from Norton Rose, where she headed up the UK firm's arbitration practice. She has a broad arbitration and commercial litigation practice with a particular focus on the energy sector. Clients she has advised in the past include Daewoo and De Beers.

Blanch becomes the 22nd partner in Weil Gotshal's London office. The lateral hire is the first at the firm's London office since August 2009 when tax partner Brenda Coleman joined from Allen & Overy.

Weil Gotshal has recently lost a couple of partners from its London practice, with restructuring partner Tony Horspool departing to Ropes & Gray and finance partner Stuart Hills leaving for DMH Stallard.

London office head Mike Francies said: "Adding someone of Juliet's strength to our practice is extremely pleasing. We have been trying to find someone like her for a couple of years now. She will be a great person to have in the office."

McDermott has seen a number of partners leave its City office this year, losing its competition capability when Davina Garrod joined Bingham McCutchen, Scott Megregian left for K&L Gates and Alasdair Bell joined football governing body UEFA as general counsel.

Meanwhile, earlier this month restructuring partner Georgia Quenby left to join Reed Smith.