Latham & Watkins is to launch a London environment practice with the recruitment of Macfarlanes partner Paul Davies, the latest in a stream of lateral hires in the City.

Davies, who qualified with Slaughter and May and has been a partner at Macfarlanes since 2005, is the first senior lawyer to join Latham's environment, land and resources practice outside of the US.

He joined Macfarlanes in 2001, where he developed a practice advising on the environmental aspects of corporate transactions in the UK and overseas.

Davies also advises clients on the insurance of environmental risk, regulation and climate change.

In 2007, he acted alongside Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, advising Oak Hill Capital on the $2bn (£1.2bn) secondary buyout of aerospace product manufacturer Firth Rixson.

"Our growth in London, particularly our investment in our corporate and litigation practices, has created an obvious opportunity to develop a market-leading transactional and contentious environmental practice, while also significantly enhancing our existing EU environmental regulatory credentials," said office managing partner Nick Cline.

"Paul is widely regarded as a leader in environmental law and was the standout candidate to help grow our practice in London, in Europe and also in China."

Davies becomes Latham's fifth senior in London since January, bringing the office's partner headcount to 65. So far this year, the firm has added Weil Gotshal & Manges funds partner Nick Benson, Berwin Leighton Paisner's structured finance partner Lucy Oddy, and Tom Alabaster from key client the Carlyle Group.

Kem Ihenacho, whose hire from Clifford Chance was confirmed by Latham in February, has yet to make the move over from the magic circle firm.

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