Reed Smith has hired partner Ingrid Silver from Dentons, where she led the firm's UKMEA media and entertainment practice. She focuses on advising entertainment companies on corporate transactions. Highlights include advising on the first ever webcast of Big Brother and the launch of mobile TV.

The firm has also announced that litigator Jane Howard is to join as a partner in its commercial disputes group. Howard joins from Gowling WLG, where she was a partner for five years. She specialises in handling disputes for large accountancy firms.

DAC Beachcroft has appointed insurance defence lawyer Victoria Kennedy (pictured above) as a partner in its London office. She joins the firm's claims solutions group, its insurance claims division, from BLM where she was a partner. Her practice includes regulatory defence work, defending large loss and complex employers' and public liability claims, and advising clients on risk management.

The firm has also hired healthcare regulatory lawyer Jonny Landau as a partner in its London office. He was previously a partner at RadcliffesLeBrasseur. He advises on enforcement, safeguarding, investigations and prosecutions in the healthcare sector. Having trained as a barrister, he holds rights of audience and handles his own advocacy at inquests.

Watson Farley & Williams has hired litigation partner Stephen Parker from Paul Hastings in London. His practice covers insolvency and debt restructuring work, in addition to banking and commercial litigation. The firm has also hired banking partner Mario D'Ovidio in Milan from DLA Piper. He acts for banks and investors on asset-based financing work in the transport, real estate and sport sectors, as well as on project finance deals.

DWF has brought on board real estate partner Mark Shepherd from Paul Hastings. He focuses on commercial real estate transactions for clients that include institutional funds, private equity funds and hotel companies. He joined Paul Hastings in 2015 as a partner, having previously been a legal director at DLA Piper.

The firm has also expanded its UAE presence with the hire of international arbitration partner Rabih Tabbara in Dubai from K&L Gates. He acts for clients on a wide variety of disputes, with a focus on the construction and energy sectors.

Hogan Lovells has expanded its Johannesburg office with the hire of director Sibongile Solombela from Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. He joins the firm's corporate practice. The firm has also added to its Paris base with the hire of antitrust partner Francois Brunet from US firm Cleary Gottleib Steen & Hamilton. Brunet joins Hogan Lovells with two associates from Cleary.

Going the other way are Hogan Lovells' Johannesburg insurance partners Deon Francis and Reshana Pillay, who are joining Clyde & Co. Francis, who was appointed to lead Hogan Lovells' South Africa insurance team in 2014, advises clients on litigation, regulatory matters and liability claims, while Pillay's civil litigation practice encompasses medical malpractice, cyber and sports and entertainment law. The pair are joined at the firm by two associates.

Clydes has also hired construction partner Matthew Heywood in Dubai from Osborne Clarke (OC). He joined OC in 2015 as a partner, having been a senior associate at Pinsent Masons and an associate at Reed Smith. He advises clients on disputes in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

Winston & Strawn has boosted its Middle East operation with the hire of Ben Bruton from Eversheds Sutherland in Dubai. Bruton was formerly UAE managing partner at Eversheds and joins Winston as head of disputes and investigations in the region. He is joined at the US firm by litigator Nick Sharratt, who was a principal associate at Eversheds. Sharratt joins Winston as an of counsel.

Taylor Wessing has appointed Francois Mary as a partner in its Paris office. Mary focuses on corporate law and joins from Latham & Watkins, where he was a partner for 11 years. He acts for clients on M&A, private equity deals and restructurings.

Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its pensions team with the hire of partner Anthea Whitton in Leeds. She started her career at Eversheds, moved to Pinsent Masons as a partner in 2006, before joining Squire Patton Boggs in 2012, where she led the firm's Leeds pensions team.

Goodwin has announced that funds specialist Alexandrine Armstrong-Cerfontaine is now a partner in its London office. She was formerly head of King & Wood Mallesons' Luxembourg office before joining Goodwin as a consultant in February. Armstrong-Cerfontaine focuses on fund formation, advising private equity sponsors on their investments and corporate finance.

Dentons has strengthened its tax practice with the recruitment of partner Cristiano Bortolotti from Transfer Pricing Global Solutions, a boutique consulting firm he founded in 2015. He joins the firm in its Luxembourg office.

Ashurst has boosted its real estate practice with the hire of Diane Skapinker in Sydney. Skapinker joins the firm from K&L Gates and prior to that, led Australian firm Gilbert + Tobin's real estate group. Her focus is on property development, infrastructure transactions, acquisitions, disposals and leasing.

Irwin Mitchell has hired two partners for its private wealth practice in Newbury and Chichester. Andrew Parry has joined as a partner from Hunters in London – he advises clients on lifetime and post-death tax and succession planning. David Bird has joined the firm's Chichester office – he advises clients on tax and trust law.