Herbert Smith's former European alliance relationship partner Henry Raine has left the firm to take up an in-house regulatory role at online loan company Wonga.com.

Raine has been a consultant at Herbert Smith since April last year, when he stepped down from the partnership.

His responsibilities in managing the firm's relationship with alliance partners Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe were primarily taken on by David Willis as part of his managing partner role.

Raine, who started at Wonga this month, will be joined at the company this spring by Kemp Little managing partner Lucy Vernall, who has been appointed as the company's first-ever general counsel. Raine's regulatory position is also a first-time appointment for Wonga.

Wonga founder and chief executive Errol Damelin said: "We are growing fast but we never compromise on quality when it comes to hiring. I am very pleased to be welcoming two world-class people to the team."

Raine specialises in M&A and equity issues, particularly in the context of the London Stock Exchange and Takeover Code, while Vernall's practice focuses on M&A and financing for technology companies, venture capital and private equity and restructurings and reorganisations.

Wonga was launched in October 2007 and is based in London.

The news follows the departure of Herbert Smith private client tax partner Rupert Ticehurst to Berwin Leighton Paisner's City base this month.