Dentons has hired Vinson & Elkins' (V&E) Abu Dhabi managing partner Jonathan Nash, in an expansion of its energy practice.

Nash, an international project finance and development lawyer, joined V&E from Chadbourne & Parke's London office in 2010.

He becomes Dentons' third senior lateral hire in the region in a little over a month, following the recruitment of DLA Piper construction partner Ian Dalley in Abu Dhabi and banking and Norton Rose Fulbright finance partner Alex Roussos in Dubai.

At Dentons, Nash will focus on the energy, water, transportation and infrastructure sectors, advising all project participants, including underwriters, sponsors, insurers and governments.

"Clients have increasingly made it clear that they attach a significant value to a law firm that can offer local law advice in the jurisdictions in which they do business," commented Nash.

For V&E, the departure of its Abu Dhabi managing partner is the latest blow to the firm's international practice, and follows the exit of a three partner team including regional managing partner Ayman Khaleq to Morgan Lewis in the summer.

The firm now counts M&A lawyer Sami Al-Louzi as its sole partner Abu Dhabi-based partner, while in Dubai, M&A and private equity partner Ahmed El-Gaili works alongside EMEA international co-ordinator Jeff Eldredge, who splits his time between the Emirate and London.

In July, the Houston-headquartered outfit announced it was closing its Shanghai office, in a bid to "consolidate the firm's China practice into our Beijing and Hong Kong offices".

Separately, V&E today (17 December) announced the promotion of seven lawyers to its partnership, including three in Dallas, two in Houston and one in Washington DC.

Also making the cut is London tax associate Jenny Doak, who worked at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for over nine years. At V&E, Doak recently provided advice for HRT, a Brazilian oil company, on its proposed acquisition from BP of its interest in the Polvo oil field.