Morgan Lewis is continuing to bulk up its presence in London with the hire of DLA Piper's London head of funds Gawain Hughes.

Hughes specialises in fund formation, investment and regulation in the United Kingdom and Europe with a particular focus on advising private equity funds, real estate, and infrastructure sectors.

Morgan Lewis chair, Jami McKeon said: "Gawain is recognised in the London market as an accomplished and entrepreneurial funds lawyer and he brings a wealth of experience and depth of relationships to our growing team.

"His addition further enhances the comprehensive spectrum of services we offer to clients from New York, London, Singapore, and other global financial centres."

Hughes is the latest recruit to the firm that hired a trio of lawyers from K&L Gates in London earlier this month.

The firm added finance partners Matthew Duncan, Paul Matthews and Julian Goodman in the latest raid on K&L Gates, which has lost a steady stream of partners globally over the last 18 months.

Duncan told Legal Week he expected the firm to continue to further build out the practice in London in the coming months.

 The London hires come under a year after the firm reached an agreement with the now defunct Bingham McCutchen to hire 227 of its partners in lieu of a long-discussed merger between the two firms.