Allen & Overy (A&O) has hired financial services partner Heath Tarbert from Weil Gotshal & Manges in a boost for its Washington office.

Tarbert, who headed Weil's financial regulatory reform group as a corporate partner, will lead A&O's US bank regulatory group. 

A dual US- and UK-qualified lawyer, Tarbert joined Weil as senior counsel in 2010 from the US Senate Banking Committee, where he was also senior counsel. He was made up to partner in 2012.

During his time at the government agency he acted on several legislative proposals that led to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Additionally Tarbert spent six months in 2008 working at the White House as associate counsel to the US President, overseeing the financial markets portfolio and working with senior officials to develop emergency measures taken by the US government during the financial crisis.

Tarbert joins the Washington office alongside a counsel from Dechert, Gordon Miller, who joins the magic circle firm as a senior counsel.

A&O Washington managing partner Barbara Stettner said: "Heath and Gordon bring with them extraordinary experience, having been involved at the ground floor with many of today's transformational banking regulations. [They] will provide top-tier advice to our US and non-US clients navigating the ever-increasing challenges of global regulation."

A&O's Washington outpost launched in July 2011 with a team hired from O'Melveny & Myers. Since then it has made partner additions including head of US cartel defence John Terzaken last year, who was formerly the US Department of Justice (DoJ) director of criminal enforcement in its antitrust division.

Tarbert's exit is the latest in a string of partner departures at Weil since the firm announced a 170-strong redundancy round last June, though at the time the firm said there were no plans for partner cuts.

Also this week, tax patrner Scott Sontag joined the New York office of Paul Weiss.

In October, a nine-partner team exited the firm's Texas offices for Sidley Austin. There were also departures to Vinson & Elkins and Baker Botts. London has seen the exit of litigation partner Matthew Shankland to Sidley, while tax partner Brenda Coleman last month left for Ropes & Gray.