Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

DLA Piper has hired two highly rated London construction litigation partners from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.

Caroline Pope and Bob Maynard, two of BCLP's best-known partners in construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes, are on a six-month notice period but it is not yet known whether they will be held to it.

The pair leave after nearly 20 years in which they have acted for a range of major clients. Pope advised Balfour Beatty Engineering Services on a dispute with a major contractor in relation to delays on a hospital project. Maynard was part of the bid team that helped the firm retain its place on National Grid's legal panel last week.

The exits follow the departure of Catherine Gelder, who also left the same BCLP department to join CMS last year. Other well-known partners that remain in the BCLP team include Marc Hanson, John Hughes-D'Aeth and Nazir Dewji.

DLA is aggressively expanding in the sector. Earlier this year, the firm hired Anna Mills from Hogan Lovells to its construction disputes team, as well as hiring a three-strong team from Addleshaw Goddard in 2016.

DLA Piper's U.K. head of construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes Paul Giles said in a statement: "Our U.K. team already works on some of the largest and most complex construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes in the U.K. and internationally. However, the addition of Caroline and Bob will help take our practice to the next level.

"These appointments are a clear illustration of the investment and commitment that the firm continues to make in the sector."

BCLP's deputy global head of litigation and corporate risk Nathan Willmott thanked Pope and Maynard for "all that they have contributed to the firm".