Watson Farley & Williams has grown its City real estate arm with the hire of Taylor Wessing partner Lorraine Ufland.

Ufland joined Watson Farley yesterday (27 February) after two and a half years at the fellow UK top 40 firm. She joined Taylor Wessing in 2009 after six years at US firm White & Case, and is also a former LG partner.

Her client portfolio includes Doughty Hanson & Co and Piper Jaffray and she specialises in advising real estate investment funds and property companies on acquisitions, disposals and lettings.

Her hire takes the total number of real estate partners in Watson Farley's London office to nine.

Ufland's move to Watson Farley comes amid an expansive period for the UK firm in recent months. The firm recently announced plans to open a Hong Kong office with the hire of corporate and capital markets partner Loretta Lau from Goodwin Procter, shortly after branching into local law in Singapore via a joint venture with regional firm Asia Practice.

The joint venture, which went live in October, hands Watson Farley access to a total of 44 fee earners in the region, including 12 partners.

The firm also recently bulked up its Milan office with the hire of Clifford Chance's local head of public law, Cristina Martorana.