Hogan Lovells hired Rupert Shiers as head of its direct tax disputes practice.

Shiers, who will start at Hogan Lovells on Monday 24 June, is top ranked in the UK by Chambers and Partners and joins the firm from Herbert Smith Freehills.

Shiers has led tax litigation in the UK Tax Tribunal, English Courts and European Court of Justice and has advised in clients including Philips and Legal & General.

Fulvia Astolfi, global Co-Head of Hogan Lovells tax group said: "Rupert's skills and experience in conducting tax disputes speaks for themselves and he is a great fit with our practice, complementing perfectly our indirect tax disputes practice led by Michael Conlon QC. With the high level of scrutiny of tax arrangements in the UK, the demand for tax disputes advice is set to increase. In addition, the ever growing legal structure to tribunal appeals means the role played by tax disputes lawyers is increasingly significant."

Earlier this month Hogan Lovells recruited a three-partner team from US firm Chadbourne & Parke to strengthen its litigation and arbitration practice in New York, with one new hire – litigation and arbitration specialist Luis Enrique Graham – splitting his time between Mexico City and New York.

Also this month Herbert Smith Freehills lost London global funds partner Thiha Tun, to the City base of US firm Bingham McCutchen