Veteran Reed Smith partner joins Field Fisher's City arm as UK top 30 firm targets media, IP and tech clients

Field Fisher Waterhouse has made its second lateral hire of the year, bringing in media partner Barry Smith from Reed Smith to bolster its City practice.

Smith had been a partner at Reed Smith since 1980, having joined the firm in 1974. He brings with him a practice covering a broad range of media matters including film and television, production and distribution.

Field Fisher's media team counts the BBC, NBC Universal and Liberty Global among its key clients. A total of 17 partners sit in the group, which is headed up by former SJ Berwin partner Tim Johnson, who joined Field Fisher in January 2009 after the top 20 UK firm closed its four-partner media team.

The hire comes as part of the firm's strategy to actively target clients from sectors with a strong intellectual property and technology focus, including media.

Johnson said: "This is a firm that has technology, media and telecoms in its DNA, making it an attractive place to build a media practice. We will look to expand our capability further with the ultimate aim of becoming one of the leading media groups in Europe."

Field Fisher also hired Derek Hill from Herbert Smith to its tax practice last year. Hill has expertise in the media sector and has worked closely with Time Warner and Sky.

Field Fisher's other most recent hire came in March, when the firm brought in employment partner Simeon Spencer from Seyfarth Shaw in New York.

Reed Smith's advertising, technology and media group comprises nine partners in the City, with the firm recently adding a three-partner team including Marina Palomba from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.