Linklaters' Paris office has lost a four-partner capital markets team to White & Case, in a major departure from the magic circle firm.

Partners Cenzi Gargaro, Philippe Herbelin and Severin Robillard and consultant Gilles Endreo are joining the US firm's base in the French capital, with a start date yet to be finalised. They are followed by Linklaters associate Thomas Le Vert, with all five joining White & Case as partners.

The move leaves Linklaters with just three capital markets partners in Paris – Luis Roth, Bertrand Andriani and Patrice Doat – supported by two counsel and a team of 25 associates.

The departures include some of the most senior lawyers in Linklaters' Paris office. Endreo recently became a consultant after 24 years as a partner at the firm, while Gargaro, who trained and worked with Maclay Murray & Spens until 1987, has been a partner at Links since 1996.

"Investing in our global capital markets practice is one of our strategic priorities," said White & Case chairman Hugh Verrier. "These new partners will play an important role in building a market-leading practice for the firm."

"The addition of these top-tier lawyers in Paris represents an important milestone in the development of the firm's European finance practice," added the firm's global capital markets practice head Stuart Matty.

"Following on from opening an office in Italy in 2011, these new partners are an excellent fit with our existing team and will help us build out our securities footprint in Western Europe."

In a statement, Linklaters said: "We wish the team well. We have a very strong capital markets practice globally and we have plans in place for its continued development."

The news comes after Linklaters' US co-chief and litigation head Larry Byrne moved to US firm Pepper Hamilton along with a five-lawyer team last week.

Byrne started at Pepper Hamilton last Friday, alongside former Links counsel Ruth Harlow, who joined as a partner, and four other lawyers, who will all be of counsel at the US firm.

Earlier this month Linkaters took a partner from White & Case in Singapore, with the addition of M&A lawyer William Kirschner.