Former Linklaters capital markets chief Nick Eastwell is to join the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as the body's new chief adviser on City law firms.

The appointment comes as the SRA moves to improve its understanding and links with City firms, in response to previous criticism.

Eastwell, who takes up the role in November, will provide expert advice to the SRA on the regulation of City firms, as well as providing additional quality assurance on the outcomes of SRA pilots in the City.

The SRA said the appointment was particularly important given the changes to the profession ushered in by the Legal Services Act.

SRA chair Charles Plant, said: "It is essential that we at the SRA have a full understanding of the issues which arise in all sectors of the solicitors' profession, and that there is mutual confidence between the profession and the regulator.

"There was a perception amongst the largest commercial firms that we did not fully understand the nature of their work. We have now addressed that concern in a number of ways."

Eastwell spent 29 years with Linklaters, serving as both global head of capital markets and regional managing partner for emerging Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, before retiring in October 2009. In 2007 he stood unsuccessfully against Simon Davies for the firmwide managing partner post.

The SRA has already moved to improve its links with City firms with the launch this year of a new London office and last year's appointment of Herbert Smith veteran Charles Plant as its new chair. Plant has been overseeing a drive to hire more City lawyers to build up the regulator's commercial skill-set.

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