DLA Piper has made a senior addition to its insurance team in London with the hire of RPC partner Rebecca Hopkirk.

Hopkirk, a senior partner in RPC's property and energy group, is joining DLA's London office after almost four years at RPC, before which she spent 24 years at HFW.

Her practice focuses on international property, energy and heavy industrial losses and claims, and her experience includes arbitration, litigation and alternative dispute resolution relating to natural catastrophes around the world.

Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry, the global co-chair of DLA's litigation and regulatory group, said: "Rebecca has a stellar reputation in her field – her highly international practice made her a natural fit for the firm and she will be a valuable addition to our offering in this area."

The London hire comes after DLA also last week announced the hire of Pinsent Masons construction and infrastructure partner Sarah Thomas, who is joining the firm's City base at the same time as a team of four other lawyers across three offices.

The quartet are: Trowers & Hamlins legal director Victoria Ball, who joins in Birmingham; Eversheds Sutherland legal director Ross Campbell and Allen & Overy associate Sara Milne, who are joining DLA's Edinburgh base; and Fieldfisher senior associate Zina Ieseanu, who will work with Thomas in London.

Thomas joins DLA after more than 25 years at Pinsents and predecessor firm Masons, which she joined in 1991. Her practice has a focus on the process sectors – energy, mining, water and waste – as well as electricity interconnectors.