DLA Piper has appointed a new UK head of tax with the hire of former magic circle partner Stephen Hoyle.

Hoyle joined DLA Piper from Ernst & Young, where he was a partner in the international tax services group. He joined the accounting giant in 2009, having previously worked for more than 20 years at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which he left in 2006 to join Deutsche Bank's in-house legal team.

Hoyle will become head of DLA's 28-lawyer UK tax practice, replacing Simon Gough in the role. Gough will remain with the firm as a tax partner.

Hoyle's practice focuses on all aspects of corporate tax and structured transactions in the UK and US markets. The hire comes as part of a move by DLA Piper to grow its European tax practice.

Europe Middle East and Asia (EMEA) managing director Andrew Darwin said: "We have a very strong tax practice in the US and this hire comes as part of a bid to also strengthen the European practice, not least to be able to support global clients with business emanating in the US. We have tried to hire [Hoyle] for a few years since first being introduced to him."

EMEA tax group head Roderik Bouwman added: "Stephen joins our tax practice at an exciting time as we are expanding our capabilities globally, and his arrival will enable us to enhance the service we offer to our clients in the UK and internationally."

The hire will boost numbers at DLA Piper's City office after it lost two partners last month to US firms' London arms.

Private equity head Andrew B Harris joined Kaye Scholer, while asset finance partner James Cameron left in favour of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy.