DLA Piper has secured the hire of former Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) corporate heavyweight Patrick Somers. The firm has also hired Debevoise & Plimpton associate James O'Donnell as a partner in its London funds team.

Somers was the relationship manager for Thames Water at BLP, one of the firm's key clients. He left the UK firm in March following a restructuring of BLP's Managed Legal Services division and is joining DLA Piper's corporate practice.

Before joining BLP in 2005 Somers was a partner at Hammonds, now known as Squire Sanders. He also worked as general counsel at energy company Lattice Group.