Stephenson Harwood has become the latest law firm to take advantage of the Legal Services Act (LSA) after appointing a barrister to its partnership.

Financial regulatory disputes specialist Sara George joined the firm last week from Allen & Overy, where she has been senior associate for four years. Prior to that, she was a prosecutor both with the Financial Services Authority and the Serious Fraud Office.

Stephenson Harwood is currently converting to a Legal Disciplinary Partnership (LDP) and George will become the third partner in the firm's financial services contentious regulatory practice, which is headed up by regulatory litigation partner Tony Woodcock.

The other partner in the group is Sean Jeffrey, who joined the firm in May this year from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was a counsel.

Stephenson Harwood has advised on financial services disputes for around 20 years. However, the firm recently kicked off a drive to expand the group in light of the recent increase in regulation on the financial sector.

Woodcock commented: "We have a longstanding track record in this area of advice and by recruiting people of Sara's calibre we are placing ourselves further ahead of the game."

Only a few UK top 50 firms have adopted LDP structures – which form a key plank of the LSA and allows non-lawyers to form up to 25% of a law firm's partnership – since they came into force in March 2009.