Covington & Burling has hired two disputes partners from CMS Cameron McKenna, as the US firm continues its rapid recent growth in London.

Partners Ben Holland and Jeremy Wilson will both join Covington's arbitration and commercial litigation practice in the City, and will focus on energy-related disputes.

The hires take London partner count at Covington to 28, meaning the US firm's City partnership has grown by almost 50% since the start of 2011, when it stood at 19.

Holland handles commercial disputes for energy clients in sectors such as renewables and utilities, as well as international trade and shipping disputes. Meanwhile, Wilson, a New York-qualified lawyer, has a range of experience handling commercial and investment-treaty international arbitrations in the energy sector.

Covington London partner Gaetan Verhoosel, a co-chair of the firm's global arbitration practice, commented: "Ben and Jeremy are two extremely talented arbitration practitioners who will add deep energy industry expertise to our global arbitration practice."

"It is an interesting time for energy disputes lawyers," added Wilson. "The sector is in a state of flux, with changing regulatory regimes, new technological challenges, and political instability in some of the key oil- and gas-producing regions."

According to the American Lawyer magazine, profits per partner at Covington stood at $1.27m (£832,000) in 2012. The firm last year made two anti-corruption lateral hires in London, with Steptoe & Johnson partner David Lorello joining in May and Casey Cooper joining from Baker Botts in February.