Hogan Lovells has recruited SJ Berwin banking partner Stuart Brinkworth to its City finance practice, marking its second hire since its merger went live last month.

Brinkworth will join the transatlantic law firm's London office on 1 October, as part of the firm's bid to grow its finance and corporate practices. He will join the London banking team led by City partner Matthew Cottis.

Brinkworth, who resigned from SJ Berwin last week, has a practice focused on leveraged finance transactions. He has been a partner with SJ Berwin since 2007, when he joined from McGrigors, and has advised clients including Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, Barclays, Santander, Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland while practising at the City firm.

Commenting on the move, he said: "Hogan Lovells offers the perfect platform for my practice. The firm has a well-established banking practice and I am especially impressed with the infrastructure of its global practice. I will be sad to leave SJ Berwin, which is a firm that has given me great opportunities and the chance to develop my practice."

SJ Berwin finance group head Jeremy Cross wished Brinkworth well in the future while stressing that SJ Berwin's finance practice remains in growth mode. It most recently saw the September 2009 addition of leveraged finance specialist Ian Borman, who joined from Allen & Overy.

Last month Hogan Lovells took on high-profile competition specialist Suyong Kim, who will move from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to the international law firm's City base.

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