Dechert has hired two senior DLA Piper finance partners in London, including the firm's financial services global co-chair Philip Butler.

Butler, a long-serving partner at DLA, was appointed to lead the firm's global financial services group alongside Frankfurt partner Frank Schwem last year, before which he was head of the firm's UK finance team. His practice focuses on debt finance work for banks, corporates, funds and sponsors.

Dechert has also taken on DLA's London debt finance head, David Miles. Miles acts for lenders, sponsors and corporates on a wide range of corporate lending and leveraged finance transactions.

The pair's clients include Credit Agricole, HSBC, Lloyds, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays Bank.

Camille Abousleiman, chair of Dechert's London management committee and leader of the firm's international capital markets and emerging markets practice, said the pair were both "recognised leaders in the London finance market" and that they would enhance the firm's capabilities in London.

DLA global co-chair of finance and projects Charles Morrison commented: "Phil and David have made a valuable contribution to the firm's finance team and we are sad to see them go. We have made significant progress over recent years in reshaping and strengthening our finance offering in London, and we are pleased with its development. We wish them the best for the future."

Dechert has hired a number of partners from DLA in the past, including restructuring partner Paul Fleming, who joined the firm in October 2015, and international trade partner Miriam Gonzalez, who moved over in 2011.

DLA's global litigation head Neil Gerrard also joined Dechert in 2011, alongside white-collar crime partner Jonathan Pickworth. DLA took legal action over Gerrard's move to Dechert, alleging that he had violated the firm's three-month non-compete policy. In 2012, the two firms settled UK arbitration and US litigation relating to the move.

For more, see: Outgoing DLA litigation chief brings in Herbert Smith for exit dispute