Reed Smith is hiring lawyers from five rival firms for its Brussels office launch, the firm has announced.

An eight-lawyer team, including five partners, one counsel and two associates, is joining the new office as part of the firm's global corporate group.

The new recruits include competition partners Christian Filippitsch, Geert Goeteyn and Isabelle Rahman, who join from Norton Rose Fulbright, Shearman & Sterling and Sheppard Mullin respectively.