DLA Piper has strengthened its Manchester asset finance practice with the hire of DWF transactional finance head Alan Cunningham.

Cunningham, who joined DLA on 3 May, has been joined at the firm by asset finance solicitor Michael Nelson.

He told Legal Week: "It's a very positive move for our practice. We're looking to work for more banks and expand our international offerings and DLA gives us a good platform to do that."

Before joining DWF in 2003, where he made partner in 2005, Cunningham began his career at Harbottle & Lewis. He joined Richards Butler's Hong Kong office in 1999, before moving to Norton Rose's Paris office in 2002.

DLA EMEA finance and projects head Bob Charlton commented: "Alan represents a good opportunity to acquire a high quality finance and projects lawyer for our northwest team with a specialist skill set and an international perspective."

A spokesperson at DWF said: "As a firm we are committed to asset finance and should the market provide us with an opportunity for further investment then we will certainly look at it favourably."

The news comes after DWF announced last week that it had taken on Manchester private client boutique Lane-Smith & Shindler, which specialises in wills and capital tax planning advice, handing the firm a team of six fee earners and five support staff.