US firm aims for expansion in target areas as it moves to regain initiative in the City

McDermott Will & Emery is planning to double its lawyer headcount in London in the wake of a restructuring that will see the firm refocus its City practice around six key practice areas.

The US firm wants to build its London operation up to more than 100 lawyers over the next three years, compared with a current team of 53 lawyers.

The office will focus on corporate, energy and commodities, tax, employment, intellectual property and private client work, with London managing partner and European chair Hugh Nineham also planning to rebuild an arbitration practice and launch a white-collar defence team within the next year.

Nineham's plans to build up the office follow a period of partner and lawyer departures, some of which have been the result of the restructuring and some of which have been voluntary.

The office's litigation and structured finance practices have both closed within the last 18 months, following litigator Juliet Blanch's decision to join Weil Gotshal & Manges last year and the departure of City finance partner Paul-Michael Rebus and Katherine Lamburn.

Other high-profile departures include former London managing partner Doron Ezickson, who left to join the London arm of rival US firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft in January this year.

Nineham commented: "We have been through a period of restructuring which was a combination of strategic decisions taken by the firm and natural attrition. We now have a more focused, more integrated operation in London and are in an ideal position for growth. We are now in a position where we can genuinely say to clients that we are the best in the market in these chosen practice areas."