Barlow Lyde & Gilbert's head of commercial disputes Julian Randall and litigation partner Andrew Howell are leaving the firm to join Taylor Wessing.

Both partners are set to join Taylor Wessing's commercial disputes group, taking headcount in the firm's international disputes team to 106 partners.

Randall has spent 20 years at Barlows, 18 of which he has been a partner, while Howell (pictured) was made up to the partnership in 2005 after joining the firm in 1999.

The moves come after news emerged earlier this month that Barlows financial services group head Tim Strong is also set to join Taylor Wessing.

Taylor Wessing UK head of commercial disputes Richard Marsh, said: "The appointments, coupled with Tim's only a matter of weeks ago, augment Taylor Wessing's strength and depth in this area and build on an already successful year for the group.

"We are delighted to have secured three such high-profile litigators as part of the firm's strategy to grow the commercial and financial disputes team."

Both Randall and Howell focus on regulatory investigations, boardroom and joint venture disputes, banking and insolvency issues. Their start dates are yet to be confirmed.

Strong, who specialises in complex financial disputes and regulatory issues for banks, asset managers and hedge funds, has been at Barlows for 10 years, eight of which he has spent as a partner.