White & Case has made a senior hire to its London banking team, as the US firm continues its City recruitment drive.

JP Morgan Chase executive director and assistant general counsel Julia Smithers Excell joins the US firm's City office today after two years at the corporate investment bank. 

She joins White & Case as a partner in its financial services regulatory practice.

Prior to joining JP Morgan Chase in 2016 she was a senior regulatory lawyer at Citigroup, with stints at magic circle firms Linklaters and Clifford Chance before that.

White & Case partner and global banking head Eric Leicht said: "Banks face a high level of regulatory scrutiny in today's environment. Julia's experience at two leading global banks positions her perfectly to guide our banking clients on the array of regulatory and compliance issues they must contend with around the globe."

The US firm has made multiple hires in London so far this year as part of its ambitious five-year strategy plan, targeting key areas.

Hires this year have included Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner contentious construction and engineering partner David Robertson, and Cadwalader London litigation partner Steven Baker.

The firm is now more than halfway through the plan, which included a target of boosting lawyer count in the City from 350 to more than 500 within five years, with the firm also aiming to increase New York headcount to a similar size.