Litigation specialist Stewarts has hired 2 Bedford Row barrister Richard Kovalevsky QC (pictured) to launch a financial crime and investigations practice at the firm.

Kovalevsky – who is set to join Stewarts on 23 July to set up the new practice – is leaving 2 Bedford Row after 13 years at the chambers. He was called to the Bar in 1983 and made silk 20 years later.

Kovalevsky, who is highly rated for his work advising clients facing allegations of insider dealing and bribery, also focuses on fraud, corruption, money laundering, market manipulation and taxation with criminal exposure.

He is also the co-author of thebriberyact.com, an online resource relating to the UK Bribery Act that he set up with former Pinsent Masons partner Barry Vitou, who recently joined Greenberg Traurig to head up the US firm's City corporate crime team.

Stewarts managing partner John Cahill said: "Stewarts provides an excellent platform for a leading financial crime team. Civil fraud, regulatory obligations and criminal investigations increasingly overlap. Our expertise in civil fraud, asset recovery and tax litigation will enable us to assist our clients with a broader range of issues."

Last year, Stewarts broke into the UK top 50 for the first time with revenues rising to £78.1m.

Kovalevsky's hire is the latest in a number of heavyweight moves in the corporate crime space in recent months. In March, Macfarlanes launched a white-collar practice with the hire of Eversheds Sutherland corporate crime and investigations head Neill Blundell.

The following month, Greenberg hired Vitou to launch and lead a white-collar defence and special investigations practice in London.