Linklaters corporate partner Roger Barron is to join Paul Hastings in London, with his hire coming only days after the US firm added DLA Piper private equity partner Anu Balasubramanian to its City ranks.

Barron, whose start date has yet to be confirmed, has spent his entire legal career at Linklaters, joining as a trainee in 1991 and making partner 10 years later.

During his time at Linklaters he has worked on a host of high-profile mandates, with a particular focus on sectors including energy, utilities and telecoms, acting as relationship partner for National Grid.

Key deals for Barron have included advising German utility company E.ON on the £5.8bn sale of its UK networks in 2011, and leading the firm's team called up by National Grid on its £11bn gas distribution arm sale in 2016.

Other notable M&A matters include a role on ongoing merger talks between the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse, and Siemens' £1.74bn acquisition of technology company Invensys' rail operations in the UK.

Paul Hastings chair Seth Zachary said: "Roger has an outstanding market presence, with considerable experience and a formidable track record with a number of blue-chip clients. This significant appointment underlines our focus and commitment to accelerate the growth of our M&A practice in London, and enhance our offering to the firm's global clients."

The US firm is making a push into the corporate transactional space in London, with Balasubramanian set to lead the office's efforts in the private equity space, serving as head of the City buyout practice. It also hired privacy and cybersecurity partner Sarah Pearce from Cooley earlier this week for its technology transactions group.

Balasubramanian joined DLA Piper as a partner in 2013 from Kirkland & Ellis, where she was made up in 2007.

Earlier this month, Latham & Watkins hired Linklaters financial regulatory partner Carl Fernandes in the acquisitive US firm's latest magic circle hire in London.