M&A partner moves to HSBC in wake of banking partner's departure to Linklaters

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to see two partners leave its London office, with corporate partner Elaine Williams joining HSBC and finance and restructuring partner Chris Howard switching to magic circle rival Linklaters.

City M&A partner Williams (pictured) is expected to join HSBC as its new deputy group company secretary in January 2011. She will replace Paul Stafford in the global role, which will see her report to company secretary Ralph Barber, a chartered accountant. Stafford has relocated to Asia to become corporation secretary for HSBC Asia Pacific.

Williams joined Freshfields' Asian practice in 1996 from Norton Rose and made partner in the corporate group in May 2000, relocating to London in 2005. Her work has seen her advise clients including Tesco, Diageo, Henderson, Northern Rock, Bank of England, Advent International, Permira and Kingfisher.

HSBC said the hire of a lawyer for the role would be helpful at a time when banks face an increase in global regulation. An HSBC spokesperson said: "We are delighted that Elaine is joining HSBC. Her experience in Asia-Pacific and in Europe makes her a great fit for this role."

News of Williams' move comes in the same week that it emerged Freshfields is to lose high-profile banking partner Howard to Linklaters. His move reunites him with former Freshfields partners David Ereira and Brian Gray, who joined Linklaters from the rival magic circle firm in 2007. It also marks a return to Linklaters for Howard, who was a senior associate with the firm before joining Freshfields as a partner in 2004.

Howard, who specialises in domestic and international leveraged finance and financial restructurings, has worked with banks such as Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland, BNP Paribas and HSBC.