Dechert's London office.

Dechert has hired another London partner from U.S. rival Sidley Austin, taking its third lateral from the firm this month.

Real estate finance partner Aparna Sehgal has joined Dechert after 14 years at Sidley, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

She joined Sidley in 2005 as an associate from Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance, and was promoted to partner at the U.S. firm a decade later. Sehgal's profile is no longer on Sidley's website.

Following her move, Sehgal will reunite with several former Sidley colleagues.

Earlier this month, funds partner John McGrath and litigation partner Simon Fawell quit Sidley for Dechert.

The pair had followed Dorothy Cory-Wright, who was Sidley Austin's global litigation co-head and London litigation head and joined Dechert last year as London head of commercial disputes.

Dechert global finance co-leader Richard Jones said in a statement: "Aparna is a strong addition to our global finance team. Her extensive experience in real estate finance complements our existing capability and strengthens our offering to our financial services clients. We are further consolidating our market-leading real estate finance practice in London, which complements our pre-eminent U.S. practice."

The hires represent a ramped-up hiring strategy at the U.S. firm's London office, which has recently refreshed its City management.

Dechert named asset management partner Gus Black chair of the London management committee in March, while London private equity co-head Chris Field also joined the group.

The additions followed two heavyweight departures. London chairman Camille Abousleiman took up a position in the Lebanese government earlier this year, while fellow Dechert partner and committee member Miriam Gonzalez left the firm last autumn.