Simmons & Simmons has boosted its London office with the hire of partner and U.K. head of banking and finance Kirsty Barnes from Gowling WLG.

Barnes joins from Gowling after more than 13 years at the firm as partner.

Her practice focuses on mid-market transactions in the London market, and notable achievements include advising Santander Growth Fund on a number of transactions, according to her Gowling profile.

Barnes joined Gowling in 2006 from legacy CMS. She had previously worked at Burges Salmon.

The hire follows several exits from Gowling in the past year.

In June, partner Jérôme Patenotte quit the firm's Paris base – along with his team of a counsel and senior associate – to join Simmons. Patenotte, who specialises in mergers and acquisitions, moved to head the firm's new private equity practice.

Gowling director Kanika Kitchlu-Connolly also left earlier this year to join TLT as a partner in its banking and restructuring practice in London.

Earlier this week, Simmons & Simmons' U.K. corporate head Giles Dennison left to join Eversheds Sutherland's London office after 25 years at the firm.