Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has made its first lateral partner hire since 2008, bringing in commercial litigator Alex Gerbi from Olswang.

Gerbi has been at Olswang for a decade and joined the UK top 40 firm's partnership three years ago. He has a broad disputes focus with a client list which includes companies in the technology, media and bank finance sectors.

He becomes the fourth partner at Quinn's City base alongside office co-heads Richard East and Sue Prevezer QC and former Munger & Tolles & Olsen partner Marc Becker.

The US boutique said that the hire falls in line with its strategy of targeting up-and-coming litigators.

East told Legal Week: "Alex is a young, ambitious and talented lawyer and we believe that he will succeed here as we have the right sort of environment for developing young, dynamic and entrepreneurial lawyers."

Quinn has acted on a number of high-profile matters since its 2008 City launch, including representing HSH Nordbank on its $275m claim against UBS, when Prevezer appeared in the High Court alongside Jonathan Sumption QC.

The firm is currently in the Court of Appeal acting for a group of bondholders on the restructuring of consumer finance company Battles.

Quinn has recently made in-roads in Europe with a Germany launch earlier this year (23 February) after hiring Allen & Overy patent litigation partner Marcus Grosch.

Quinn Emanuel managing partner John Quinn added: "We have been very careful with our London expansion and Alex has the combination of legal talent, energy and ambition that we have been looking for to continue to grow our practice."