Kirkland & Ellis Hong Kong finance partner Ashley Young will move to London to work alongside the firm's latest star hire – Weil Gotshal & Manges' banking head Stephen Lucas.

Young, who was previously a junior partner at Allen & Overy but understood to have been promoted to the equity when hired by Kirkland in August 2011, will be joining forces with Lucas – one of the City's top-ranked banking partners – to boost Kirkland's leveraged finance practice in the City.

Lucas handed in his notice earlier this month, after three years at Weil. He is one of several high profile signings for Kirkland this year, with Houston-based Simpson Thacher & Bartlett partner Andrew Calder also joining the firm in April.