Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's former US managing partner Julian Pritchard has relocated back to London following a spate of recent hires for the magic circle firm's New York base.

The M&A partner, who specialises in private equity, had been based in New York since 2007. His tenure as US managing partner came to an end in April this year, when litigator Adam Siegel took up a three-year term in the role.

Pritchard (pictured) relocated to London shortly after handing over the role, a decision he is understood to have taken for personal reasons.

Pritchard, who is dual-qualified in England and Wales and the US, joined Freshfields in 1993 and made his first foray into the US market on a year-long secondment at Davis Polk & Wardwell in 1999. After making partner in 2002, he was based in London for two years, before spending three years in Tokyo. He then permanently relocated to New York, taking up the US managing partner job in 2009.

During his stint as US chief, Freshfields saw steady growth in the States, launching a litigation practice in 2009 and an IP practice in 2011.

Pritchard's exit from the New York office comes as Freshfields looks to build transactions capability in the US, with six high-profile lateral hires in recent months. Earlier this month, the firm brought in three new global practice heads for its corporate, litigation and employment, pensions and benefits teams, who have also talked up building on the firm's US platform.