Linklaters has recruited Ropes & Gray restructuring partner James Douglas for its City headquarters.

Douglas is set to join the magic circle firm after seven years at Ropes in London. He joined the Boston-headquartered firm from New Zealand's Minter Ellison Rudd Watts in 2010, before which he was a partner at US firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft.

He has acted for clients including KKR Credit, Bartec and Towergate Insurance, which he advised in relation to its financial restructuring.

The hire marks the second in two months for Linklaters' London restructuring team, with Goldman Sachs managing director Sarah Mook joining as a partner in March. Mook's experience includes special situations and company-side work, financing and distressed M&A.

Both hires follow several exits from Linklaters' City restructuring team in recent years. Well-regarded partner Yen Sum left for Sidley late last year, and was followed by senior associate Jennifer Brennan, who joined Sidley as a partner.

Meanwhile, in late 2015, restructuring partner David Ereira joined US firm Paul Hastings to build its London restructuring practice.

Former restructuring head Tony Bugg, who played a high profile role advising the administrators in the insolvency of Lehman Brothers, succeeded Gideon Moore as head of finance at Linklaters when Moore became firmwide managing partner in January 2016.

The firm's restructuring practice is currently led by partners Rebecca Jarvis and Richard Bussell, who succeeded Bugg in 2016 when he took over as head of finance.

Linklaters declined to comment. Ropes declined to comment.