U.S. firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges has hired Linklaters corporate M&A partner David Avery-Gee to join the firm's M&A practice in its London office.

Avery-Gee has been at the Magic Circle firm for more than two decades, having joined in 1999. He was appointed to the partnership in 2011. He spent time on secondment to Morgan Stanley in 2005, according to his LinkedIn profile.

While at Linklaters, Avery-Gee advised on a number of high-profile deals including the listing of commodity giant Glencore on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges, and Lloyds Banking Group on its acquisition of HBOS.

According to his Linklaters biography, Avery-Gee more recently headed up a group of partners advising the firm's clients on the consequences of the U.K.'s referendum decision to leave the European Union.

Weil has expanded its London office with additions from U.S. and international rivals this year following a flurry of departures last year.

It hired Sidley Austin private equity heavyweight partner Mark Thompson in a move that added weight to its City practice after several departures. Thompson spent six years at Sidley before making the move.

Two partners left Weil at the beginning of the year, when private equity partner Samantha McGonigle left to co-found a private equity fund and tax partner David Irvine exited for Kirkland & Ellis.

More recently, the firm also took on Ashurst banking and finance partner Paul Stewart.

A Linklaters spokesperson said in a statement: "We can confirm that David Avery Gee is leaving the firm after 20 years, during which time he has made a valued contribution. He has been offered an opportunity that we could not give him at this time and he leaves as a friend with our best wishes."