Akin Gump has added a further two partners from Bingham McCutchen, taking its total haul from the Boston-based firm to 28 partners.

Restructuring partner Mark Fucci and investment management partner Anne-Marie Godfrey, both of whom worked closely with Bingham's London office, will join Akin Gump's Hong Kong office in the coming weeks.

"Mark and Anne-Marie are terrific practitioners who join a truly exceptional group of lawyers poised to make a tremendous impact on our firm and help strengthen our brand as a global institution," commented Akin Gump chair Kim Koopersmith.

Two weeks ago, Akin announced it had hired a 22-strong group of partners from Bingham's London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong offices, adding a further three partners in London and one in Hong Kong last week.

Bingham's remaning partner in Hong Kong – capital markets-focused Vincent Sum – is not joining the Akin Gump group.

In London, the departures leave Bingham with just two partners in London: competition head Frances Murphy, who joined from Jones Day last year, and restructuring partner Elisabeth Baltay.

An Akin Gump spokesperson said the firm had no plans to announce further hires from Bingham.

The remaining partners are expected to stay with Bingham ahead of the anticipated Morgan Lewis tie-up. Last week, a Bingham source confirmed to Legal Week the firm's managing partner Steven Browne had confirmed in a voicemail that the two firms' management had reached an agreement to merge, subject to partner approval.

On 12 September, a company instructed by those involved in merger talks between the two firms registered a series of websites in their name, in a further sign that negotiations between the two US firms were progressing.
The union, if approved, is set to be known as either Morgan Bingham or Morgan Lewis Bingham.

For Akin Gump, the latest hires are a further demonstration of the firm's ability to carve out major talent teams from firms at a point of flux.

"Our financial restructuring team has known Bingham's team for many, many years," said Koopersmith earlier this month.

"They've always had a huge amount of respect for them, through industry events and matters in which they had worked together. Both groups always saw a natural affinity, and thought 'wouldn't it be great' if we one day got together and formed a combination."

Koopersmith also denied that Bingham's merger discussions with Morgan Lewis provided a need to accelerate discussions at Akin Gump's end, but acknowledged that "we were hoping that one day there may be a good time to talk".