SJ Berwin has hired a City energy partner with the addition of Neil Upton from Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM).

Upton, who was a consultant at GTM, is joining SJ Berwin as a partner and will lead the development of SJ Berwin's energy and infrastructure team alongside existing City energy partner Elaine Gibson-Bolton. He was previously head of power at White & Case and global energy head at DLA Piper. He joined White & Case from DLA Piper in 2006, moving to GTM around two years ago.

His legal practice focuses on advising utilities, governments, banks and financial institutions on all aspects of the energy and water business. Upton stepped down from the partnership at GTM last year to take a commercial interest in a project owned by one of the firm's clients but remained a part-time consultant.

SJ Berwin has been looking to build its energy practice after making the sector a focus following the financial crisis which badly affected market activity in the firm's key private equity and real estate practice areas. It is understood that the firm is in talks to bring in an additional energy partner from GTM at a later stage.

SJ Berwin managing partner Rob Day said: "The energy and infrastructure sector is an important driver of global growth and an area the firm has wanted to strengthen for some time. We are delighted Neil Upton, who has an excellent market reputation and an international client base that complements our own, has joined us to focus on this sector."

The news comes as SJ Berwin has also made a double partner hire in the corporate team Italy as well as adding an antitrust partner in Brussels.

In Milan, M&A and private equity specialist Davide Proverbio is set to join the firm from City rival Norton Rose, where he was also a partner, while corporate finance partner Ettore Scandaleis joining from R&P Legal. Meanwhile, partner Riccardo Croce is joining in Brussels from Squire Sanders Hammonds, where he has worked on a very wide range of competition, regulatory, antitrust, trade, litigation and IP related matters.

SJ Berwin's City office has recently lost a partner, with Perry Yam resigning in favour of Reed Smith in December where he will launch a City private equity practice.