Ashurst structured funds head Nick Terras is set to leave the firm to join Brown Rudnick's London office.

Terras, who will become the US firm's 28th partner in the City, joined Ashurst last year from New York hedge fund specialist Schulte Roth & Zabel, when he was recruited as a consultant and handed a role to liaise between the UK firm's funds and derivates groups.

Before joining Schulte Roth in 2008, Terras was co-head of securitisation and structured finance at McDermott Will & Emery. His practice focuses on hedge funds, UCITS funds, exchange traded funds and related derivatives, and acts for both European and US clients.

Separately, Brown Rudnick has also hired White & Case finance counsel Massimo Galli, who joined the firm as a partner earlier this month.

Brown Rudnick London managing partner Scott Burns commented: "The hires of Nick and Massimo are testament to the firm's dedication to the London office. Their arrival will add significantly to our structured funds and capital markets offering."

The recent hires are part of Brown Rudnick's strategy to grow its London presence, with Legal Week's recent international firms in London survey finding that the US law firm is planning to grow London headcount by 20%-30% over the next 18 months.

Most recently, the firm hired Ned Swan, counsel in the financial services division of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, as a partner in the London office.

Other key areas identified as growth targets for the firm include corporate, insolvency, finance, private equity, and international arbitration 
and litigation.