Ropes & Gray has launched a City funds practice with the high-profile hire of White & Case head of investment funds Matthew Judd.

The US firm announced the hire of Judd – who previously worked with Ropes' London co-heads Maurice Allen and Mike Goetz at White & Case – today (13 February).

Ropes, which has a well-regarded US funds practice, has been on an expansive path since its London launch in January 2010 with the hire of Allen and Goetz from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Judd has been a partner with White & Case since February 2007 when his move from Clifford Chance was hailed as one of the most significant lateral hires for the US firm in London to date. He had been a partner in CC's funds practice since 2003, and his client relationships have included Societe Generale and ABN Amro.

John Ayer, co-head of Ropes' private investment funds group, said: "One of our main objectives is to help clients to make intelligent investments on intelligent terms, and Matt's experience and expertise will ensure we continue to deliver on that promise to our clients in London and across Europe."

The arrival marks the latest in a series of hires for Ropes' London office. The firm most recently added former CC partner Iain Morpeth from Oppenheimer Investments to launch a City private equity real estate practice in January, and also launched a tax and benefits practice last year with the June hire of tax partner John Baldry from Kirkland & Ellis.

Judd's hire comes amid a flurry of City funds partner moves in the last year, with market leaders CC and SJ Berwin both losing high-profile lawyers in the field to US law firms growing their City practices, including Weil Gotshal & Manges and Proskauer Rose.