Withers has continued its US expansion with the hire of its first partner for its newly established San Francisco office.

Corporate partner Nancy Yamaguchi has joined the firm from Californian outfit Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel, becoming the Uk firm's first partner on the West Coast.

Yamaguchi joins senior consultant Louis Mezzullo, who joined from McKenna Long & Aldridge when Withers opened its Californian base in January, and special counsel Vimala Snow.

The new hire broadens the firm's offering in San Francisco, which now includes a corporate and a finance practice.

Yamaguchi was previously the director of M&A for a public company and the chief legal officer at a Californian technology company. Prior to that, she was an associate at Jones Day in the private equity practice. 

A Withers spokesperson told Legal Week that the San Francisco office would be "targeting a large wealth population as California is a national target for high-net worth individuals."

The office is planning to grow its own client base and profile, while working alongside the firm's larger New York and Connecticut bases, which were acquired when Withers merged with legacy firm Bergman Horowitz & Reynolds in 2002.

Last month Withers announced revenue growth of 4.7% for the 2013-14 financial year to £123.3m.