Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is set to add two partners to its London funds practice with the hire of Simmons & Simmons funds partners Tim Pearce and Ian Meade.

The hire will take headcount in Akin Gump's London funds team to 11 lawyers, including five partners. Pearce and Meade's start dates at the US firm are yet to be confirmed.

Pearce and Meade currently form part of Simmons' core hedge fund practice. Pearce joined the firm as an associate in 2002 and made partner in 2007, while Meade joined the partnership a year later.

Akin Gump London partner-in-charge Steven Blakeley commented: "This is an exciting development for Akin Gump's London office and entirely consistent with our strategy of building on our established strengths.

"We have been building a very successful funds practice in London over the last ten years and the arrival of Tim and Ian will bolster our platform for continued growth of the practice, and the firm in London, in particular in the areas of tax, regulatory and finance."

The US firm also recently made up seven lawyers to its partnership around the world, including investment funds partner Jeremy Berry in Washington DC and London corporate transactions partner Harry Keegan.

The Simmons departures come after the top 20 UK firm saw private funds partner Noel Ainsworth leave to join US firm Morgan Lewis last month.

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