Ince Gordon Dadds has become the latest U.K. firm to add a cannabis law capability with the hire of partner Robert Jappie from specialist firm Mackrell Turner Garrett.

Jappie launched and led the cannabis law department at the firm, which was among the U.K.'s first dedicated cannabis law practices.

By bringing in Jappie as a partner, AIM-listed firm Ince joins a growing global trend that has seen firms like Allen & Overy, Hill Dickinson, Arnold & Porter, DAC Beachcroft and Memery Crystal target the increasingly lucrative cannabis sector. 

In a message to Law.com International, Jappie said: "[Ince's] reputation and expertise make it the perfect platform to progress my cannabis practice. Furthermore, the firm's status as a listed company will provide comfort to mainstream businesses looking to enter the European and Asian cannabis markets."

Until recent years, U.K. law firms have been more tentative than their U.S. counterparts in exploring a cannabis market that is becoming increasingly accepted, deregulated and open for business as the health benefits of cannabinoids find growing evidential support, with healthcare providers leading the charge.

Last year top 50 U.K. firm Hill Dickinson became the latest firm to formally dedicated resource to the sector, while the London office of Arnold & Porter is also building a practice in the space across pharma regulatory, corporate and white collar crime work, a person at the firm said.

In the U.S. firms such as Quinn Emanuel have been tapping into a market that has thrived following the decriminalisation of the drug in Canada and U.S. states California and Colorado.

Ince's share price took a dive last month and now hovers around the 44.6p mark, a significant decline on its 52-week high of 160p.