DLA Piper has further bolstered its Dublin ranks, with a four-partner team hire in the Irish capital.

The hires come as firms move to build up in the EU ahead of Brexit, with a no-deal exit still a possibility.

The firm has raided local firms William Fry and Dillon Eustace for four partners, nine months after it hired another four partners to staff its new Dublin office.

Two of the new partners join from William Fry – intellectual property and technology partner John Magee and real estate partner Graham Quinn – in a move that reunites them with former colleague David Carthy, who joined DLA as its new Ireland head prior to the Dublin office's launch on 1 January this year.

Finance and projects partner Kate Curneen and tax partner Sean Murray, meanwhile, are joining DLA from Dillon Eustace. They will work alongside Conor Houlihan, Dillon Eustace's former head of banking and capital markets, who joined DLA as part of the January team hire.

DLA is also bringing William Fry finance lawyer Liam Mills on board in the Dublin office, as a legal director.

In January, DLA brought in A&L Goodbody commercial and technology partner Mark Rasdale and employment partner Ciara McLoughlin, as well as Matheson's former London head and corporate partner Eanna Mellett.

Sandra Wallace, DLA Piper's joint managing director for the U.K. and Europe, said in a statement: "These are exciting times in the Irish legal market and our latest hires confirm the momentum behind DLA Piper's plans to introduce a different type of legal adviser.

"As the market evolves, we are building a highly skilled, sector-focused team that mirrors the expectations of our clients – globally-focused businesses that operate in an increasingly complex commercial, legal and compliance landscape."