Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has turned to Allen & Overy (A&O) for its latest hire, taking projects partner Andrei Baev.

Baev joins the top 15 UK firm's finance practice today (14 December) from A&O's London office. He has worked at the firm for 11 years, including in the firm's Moscow and New York offices. At BLP, he is due to split his time between London and Moscow.

His practice focuses on power and mining projects, as well as telecommunication and infrastructure projects, in particular in Russia and CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey and Asia. Before joining A&O, Baev also worked at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York and Mayer Brown in Los Angeles.

In a note to contacts, Baev said: "This decision is not a reflection on A&O – it is personal, and a function of my circumstances today. I remain as passionate about the success of A&O today as I have been for the past 11 years. I am leaving because an unexpected and very attractive opportunity has presented itself which resonates with me at a personal level."

BLP's finance department underwent a restructuring at the beginning of 2011 that saw a number of partners leave the firm or join other practices as the firm aimed to angle the practice towards more profitable areas of work.

Since then, it has made a number of finance partner hires, including ex-Linklaters partner Simon Small, who joined from Ashurst last month, Paul Simcock from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Paul Hastings former City finance team head Keith Wilson.