Dentons has recruited leading Field Fisher Waterhouse franchising partner Babette Marzheuser-Wood in a boost for the firm's technology, media and telecoms (TMT) practice.

Marzheuser-Wood, who joined Dentons on Monday (2 September), has been hire to help build the firm's franchising practice in the UK and Europe, as well as its capabilities in the hotel, leisure and retail sectors.

Marzheuser-Wood has been a partner at Field Fisher since 2001 and is qualified to practice as a solicitor in both Germany and the UK. She has transactional experience in all 28 EU countries, as has acted on a raft of international franchise, management and development agreements.

While at Field Fisher, she worked on a number of intellectual property (IP) joint ventures alongside the firm's high-profile IP and technology head Mark Abell, who joined Bird & Bird this June after a protracted dispute with his former firm.

"Babette is one of a few leading experts in the international franchising space, and her arrival will allow us to become a prominent player in this growing global market place," said Catherine Bingham, head of Dentons' TMT department for the UK, Middle East and Africa (UKMEA) region.

"Franchising is a truly global activity and a firm such as Dentons with global offices will be perfect to service the needs of my clients," said Marzheuser-Wood.

"Both large global players such as Hertz or IKEA and domestic SMEs are increasingly using alternative strategies such as franchising to grow internationally."

Also joining Dentons this week is former Eversheds banking and finance partner Byron Nurse, who was recruited earlier this summer.