Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer litigation partner Reza Mohtashami QC has left the magic circle firm for litigation boutique Three Crowns, in a move that will reunite him with several former colleagues.

Mohtashami had been at Freshfields for 19 years, and had been a partner since 2009. While at the firm, he spent time in its Paris and Dubai offices before relocating to London in 2014.

He specialises in emerging markets disputes with a focus on the energy, infrastructure and telecoms sectors, and regularly sits as arbitrator. He took silk in 2017.

His move to Three Crowns will reunite him with former Freshfields colleagues Constantine Partasides, Georgios Petrochilos and Jan Paulsson, who left the magic circle firm to launch the boutique in 2014.

Mohtashami's exit comes after high-yield heavyweight Ward McKimm left for Shearman & Sterling in July, while private equity partner David Higgins quit for Kirkland & Ellis last December.

Other recent partner departures from Freshfields include former global infrastructure and transport co-head Martin Nelson-Jones, who is leaving to join DLA Piper; Paris head Elie Kleiman, who joined Jones Day's base in the French capital; and restructuring and insolvency heavyweight Nick Segal, who left to join commercial set Erskine Chambers.

Freshfields international arbitration group co-head Nigel Blackaby said: "Reza is a valued friend and colleague who will be missed, and we thank him for his contribution to the development of Freshfields' market-leading arbitration practice, particularly in the Middle East. We wish him well for the next phase of his career."

Three Crowns declined to comment.