Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) contentious tax head Liesl Fichardt is leaving to join Clifford Chance (CC) in the latest senior departure from the firm.

Fichardt, who has been at BLP since 2008, is understood to be negotiating her exit from the firm, which has seen a number of partners leave in recent weeks.

She is expected to join CC later in the year. It is as yet unconfirmed whether she will be joined by any additional BLP lawyers.

CC said its clients had seen increasing demand from clients for advice on tax disputes, and cited the practice as a growth area for the firm. David Harkness, CC's global head of tax, pensions and employment, called Fichardt "the market leader in contentious tax".

"The current tax environment is becoming ever more complex for large organisations as they face greater amounts of legislation, including the General Anti Avoidance Rule, an enhanced disclosure regime and shifting public and government expectations," commented Harkness.

Fichardt, who is dual qualified as a solicitor and solicitor-advocate, practised as a tax barrister in South Africa for 14 years before spending two years at US firm Dorsey & Whitney's London office from 2006 to 2008.

Her move marks the latest in a growing list of senior partner departures from BLP, following the exit of the firm's global head of private equity Raymond McKeeve to Jones Day and this week's move of commercial and technology head Adam Rose to Mishcon de Reya. Meanwhile, Patrick Somers, relationship partner for key client Thames Water, left in March this year following a restructure of its Managed Legal Services (MLS) division.

The firm this July confirmed it had cut 102 jobs which were placed under review back in May, with a total of 58 legal staff and 44 secretarial staff laid off.