Travers Smith's former managing partner Andrew Lilley has joined Deloitte Legal to head up its employment law offering, as part of a double hire for the Big Four accountancy firm.

Lilley resigned from Travers in 2015 after five years at the helm of the London firm. A year later, he joined recruitment company Rare as its first full-time commercial director.

Lilley joined Travers in 1995 from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, later becoming head of Travers' employment law practice.

Deloitte Legal has also hired Squire Patton Boggs partner Liz Pierson as the legal lead for the firm's reward practice. In her role, Pierson will lead a team of approximately 20 lawyers offering legal advice around executive remuneration, equity and incentives for both private and public clients.

Pierson had been a partner at Squire since September 2017, having previously worked as a senior counsel at Clifford Chance for four years.

Commenting on the two appointments, U.K. managing partner for Deloitte Legal Michael Castle said in a statement: "As we continue to build Deloitte Legal's presence in the U.K., we are determined to hire the very best talent in order to provide our clients with best-in-class service."

The hires mark the latest in the push by the Big Four audit firms into the legal industry.

Other recent hires for Deloitte Legal in London include Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner director Bruce Braude as its first chief technology officer, and Taylor Wessing innovation manager Laura Bygrave to become innovation lead in its London office.

Earlier this year, Castle, a former Allen & Overy senior partner and a managing partner contender, joined Deloitte Legal as U.K. managing partner.