Eversheds Sutherland's mining and natural resources practice team has broken away from the firm and set up their own boutique, people close to the firm have said.

Warren Beech, who headed the team, and fellow partner Nicholas Veldman, set up the boutique, and they are joined by fellow Eversheds lawyers Refiloe Vengeni and Eben Van Zyl, who were both promoted to partner in March, together with a further lawyer and a trainee, Beech confirmed.