Osborne Clarke (OC) has lost the heads of its technology and telecoms groups to Fieldfisher and Reed Smith respectively.

Angus Finnegan, the head of OC's telecoms team, joined Reed Smith as a partner in its media and technology practice yesterday (1 July), while head of technology Mark Webber has joined Fieldfisher.

Both technology and telecoms are sub-sectors of OC's digital business group.

Finnegan, who has more than 20 years' experience advising on technology and telecoms issues, acts on a range of sector-specific matters, including telecoms regulation. His arrival at Reed Smith follows the US firm's City hires of partners Askandar Samad and Nick Swimer from DLA Piper and Channel 4 respectively.

"As the penetration of internet and mobile services continues to grow, it's more important than ever for us to add greater strength to our telecommunications and technology capability," commented Gregor Pryor, a London-based partner in Reed Smith's media and technology team.

Meanwhile Webber, who has more than fifteen years' experience in the sector, advises European and US clients on e-commerce and IT law as well as complex IP and technology-related transactions.

He became a partner at OC in 2007, after joining as a trainee a decade earlier, and spent three years working in its Silicon Valley office between 2003 and 2006.

"Thanks to the excellent work of the head of our Palo Alto office Phil Lee, and the arrival of David Kent, we have made significant progress in Silicon Valley," said the firm's managing partner Michael Chissick.

The hire is also a welcome counterpoint to several notable partner departures for the practice in the last 18 months, beginning with the exit of former franchising and technology head Mark Abell in 2013, and including the departure of technology specialist Stewart Room to PwC Legal earlier this year.