Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft is launching an office in Brussels with the hire of Linklaters competition partner Alec Burnside.

Burnside (pictured), who has been recruited with a remit to open and manage the new office, specialises in EU competition law and regularly advises on high-profile cases involving global industries, governments and bluechip corporations.

Recent deals he has worked on include Microsoft's acquisition of Yahoo's search function, Aer Lingus's successful defence of Ryanair's hostile takeover bids, and Deutsche Borse's pending merger with NYSE Euronext.

Burnside's departure leaves the magic circle firm's Brussels base with four competition partners. The office is headed up by the firm's global head of antitrust Gerwin Van Gerven.

Cadwalader chairman Christopher White commented: "Alec is recognised as one of the leading competition lawyers in Europe. His attraction to Cadwalader and our investment in him and the opening of an office in Brussels reflect a mutual commitment to fielding the finest global antitrust team practising today."

Cadwalader antitrust chief Rick Rule added: "To be able to bring on board a solicitor of the calibre of Alec Burnside is a game-changer for our global antitrust group."

Burnside added: "I have been familiar with Cadwalader for many years, given the outstanding work of Rick Rule and his antitrust team. I've been impressed by the remarkable talent in the firm in every group from financial services, reorganisation and capital markets to investigations and antitrust."