Mishcon de Reya has bulked up its City office with the hire of two partners from Travers Smith and Field Fisher Waterhouse.

Travers banking partner Michael Bardell and Field Fisher intellectual property (IP) partner Lewis Cohen have both joined Mishcons' corporate and IP practices respectively in recent weeks.

Bardell has been at Travers since 1989 and a partner since 1993. He specialises in advising banks, investment fund managers, private equity houses and corporations in relation to debt finance transactions.

Cohen joined Field Fisher in 2006 and became a partner at the firm in 2008. His practice focuses on sports work and related industries.

Bardell said: "I have been impressed by Mishcon's clear vision, energy and willingness to invest. Contributing to the growth of the firm's finance offering will be an exciting challenge, especially as this occurs in the context of the rapid growth the firm has witnessed over the last year."

The news follows the departure of another IP partner from Field Fisher this month, with France Delord set to join Taylor Wessing.

Mishcons has also announced the hire of Harbottle & Lewis prosecution head Rebecca Davis as a trademark attorney for the firm.

The firm has made a considerable investment in partner growth over the last 18 months with 10 new partners joining during the 2010-11 financial year from firms including Charles Russell, Reed Smith and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe.