Jones Day has made a double partner hire in London with the addition of one partner apiece from Simmons & Simmons and Addleshaw Goddard.

The US firm has hired Simmons corporate partner Paul Exley for its London energy practice, while Addleshaws financial institutions regulatory partner John Ahern is joining the equivalent team at Jones Day.

Exley, who joined Simmons as a trainee and became a partner in 1995, has worked with clients including the Ministry of Defence. His practice focuses on cross-border M&A and commercial work in the energy and infrastructure sector, with a particular emphasis 
on oil and gas.

Ahern, meanwhile, focuses on the financial services industry in the UK, the Middle East and Asia. He has both in-house and private practice experience, having spent eight years in Merrill Lynch's in-house legal team. He joined Addleshaws in 2009 from DLA Piper, where he spent four years in the firm's non-contentious financial regulatory practice in London.

Jones Day London partner-in-charge John Phillips commented: "These are significant hires in important practices and are a continuation of our concerted growth strategy in London. There will be more to come as we build further on our resources and expertise in the London market."

The news comes two months after it emerged that Simmons was losing energy-focused corporate partner Martin Stewart-Smith to US firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius. He joined the firm earlier this month (1 September) after serving his notice period.

Jones Day's London office has seen a number of partner departures recently including restructuring specialist Paul Bromfield, who left for US rival Weil Gotshal & Manges.