Latham & Watkins London-based finance partner Ayesha Waheed has left the firm to join U.S. rival Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

She leaves the firm after more than a decade, having joined from Clifford Chance in 2008 as an associate. She was promoted to partner at the U.S. firm in 2013.

Morgan Lewis chair Jami McKeon said in a statement: "Given the prominence of English law in these transactions, clients will benefit significantly from her broad geographical coverage."

Her exit from Latham follows that of heavyweight Latham partner Chris Kandel, who co-headed the firm's banking team and quit to join U.S. rival Morrison & Foerster earlier this year.

The hire is a relatively rare addition for Morgan Lewis, with the U.S. firm expanding its London office incrementally in recent years.

However, last summer it took on a trio of corporate partners from Herbert Smith Freehills. It picked up London private equity head Mark Geday and corporate partners Nicholas Moore and Tomasz Wozniak to boost its London corporate team by 60 percent, taking it from five partners to eight.

London head Frances Murphy told Legal Week at the time that the hires were indicative of a wider growth plan.

Earlier this year, the latest accounts for Morgan Lewis's U.K. LLP, which also takes in France, show overall turnover rising by almost 31 percent, from £45.2 million up to £59.2 million, and operating profit surging 73 percent, from £15.0 million up to £26.0 million.

Latham declined to comment.