Norton Rose is set to to see the departure of respected financial disputes partner Charles Evans to US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy's London office.

Evans – who is top-rated for contentious financial services by Chambers – joined Norton Rose's London practice in 1997 and made partner in 2000. He represents corporates, financial institutions and individuals under investigation and in enforcement proceedings.

Norton Rose Group litigation and dispute resolution chief Deirdre Walker confirmed Evans' departure, adding: "We wish him all the best for his future career. Partners Dorian Drew, Michael Godden, Paul Morris and Radford Goodman continue to lead our contentious financial institutions work, and have acted on some of the most agenda-setting disputes the sector has seen in recent years."

Milbank has made a number of eye-catching hires in London in recent months, including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer competition partner Nicholas Spearing, who joined this June, and projects heavyweight Clive Ransome, who moved from Linklaters at the end of August. The US firm was not available for comment.

The exit of Evans comes after Norton Rose hired CMS Cameron McKenna regulatory and disputes chief Liam O'Connell for its insurance litigation practice last month.

However, the firm has also recently seen the departures of a number of City litigation partners to US rivals, with international arbitration chief Joseph Tirado joining Winston & Strawn and arbitration partner Steve Abraham leaving for Baker and McKenzie, while earlier this year Anthony Dutton left to join Dechert's London arm.