Stephenson Harwood has added to its City real estate practice with the hire of McGrigors London partner Stephen Sumpton.

Sumpton, who made the move between the two firms earlier this month (6 June), had been a partner at McGrigors since 2002. Before that he also spent 10 years at Baker & McKenzie in the firm's London and Moscow offices, as well as two years at legacy KPMG legal arm KLegal.

KPMG remains a key 
client of Sumpton's – a relationship he shares with Stephenson Harwood.

Sumpton joins a team of 13 real estate partners and around 40 associates at Stephenson Harwood, and said the larger size of the team as well as the firm's international reach were among the key factors behind his decision to move. McGrigors' London real estate presence is significantly smaller – the office 
has four partners following 
the departure.

Sumpton commented: "I have had professional dealings with Stephenson Harwood for several years and we have a number of shared clients, not least KPMG. When the opportunity came to join it was too great to turn down. It is the breadth and the quality of the team here that attracted me."

The hire comes after McGrigors lost another London partner last month when Herbert Smith bulked up its tax practice with the hire of tax disputes partner Rupert Shiers.