Hogan Lovells has seen its first partner departure in Europe since the confirmation of the transatlantic merger deal, with Moscow corporate partner Ilya Rybalkin set to join US firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Rybalkin, a partner at legacy firm Hogan & Hartson, will join Akin Gump's Moscow office in July, bringing with him a broad corporate practice including international and domestic tax, M&A and corporate restructurings.

He becomes the ninth partner in Akin Gump's base in the Russian capital, which is headed up by corporate partner Richard Wilkie.