Latham & Watkins has hired a partner from Clifford Chance and a Freshfields Bruckhaus Dering counsel in Hong Kong as part of a six partner boost to its private equity and corporate practices.

The US giant has added Clifford Chance private equity partner Simon Cooke and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer counsel Amy Beckingham, who joins as partner, to its Asia base.

In addition to the two lateral hires the firm has relocated high yield partner James Burnett from London and restructuring partner Josef Athanas from Chicago.

As part of the drive to build up its Hong Kong base the firm is also set to promote counsels Benjamin Carale, who specialises in corporate finance, and Sungjin Kang, who handles private equity and corporate matters, to partner in Hong Kong.

The news follows the hire of Hogan Lovells' banking head Gary Hamp who was announced as joining the firm in November last year.

Latham said the build-up is in response to market developments, in a bid to grow its private equity and leveraged finance capabilities in Asia, which it views as key areas of economic activity in the region.

Chair of the firm's Asia practice Bryant Edwards said: "Ten to 15 years ago, we saw strong growth in private equity and related finance in London and Europe. We're seeing the same patterns in Asia today, in particular where high yield has grown to become a significant part of leveraged finance."

A number of US firms have boosted their private equity and capital markets offerings in Asia in recent years, with significant hires being made from the magic circle in the region.

Linklaters has seen multiple exits including corporate partners Betty Yap and Judie Ng Shortell, whose move to Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison in Hong Kong was revealed earlier this week.

Earlier this week Latham & Watkins announced it is set to become the latest international firm to open in South Korea, after submitting an application to set up a foreign legal consultant office in the country.