The former co-leader of Ballard Spahr's tax group has taken her practice to Pepper Hamilton, joining the firm's Philadelphia office.

Saba Ashraf joined Pepper Hamilton on Monday as a partner in its tax and private client practice group. Ashraf previously practiced in Atlanta, and moved to Philadelphia about four years ago while a partner at Ballard Spahr.

Ashraf works with clients across the country on tax issues stemming from complex business transactions, and she counsels them on corporate and partnership transaction matters. Her clients include financial services institutions, manufacturing firms and Fortune 500 companies, according to her new firm.

In an interview Monday, she declined to comment on whether any of her clients would be coming with her.

The move to Pepper "will allow me to expand a little bit and do more of the work I enjoy, related to funds and private equity," Ashraf said, highlighting the firm's corporate transactional practice, funds practice and health sciences group.

Ashraf said the firm's 13-lawyer group of business tax attorneys was an attraction, and that "they will serve as a good source of support for me to rely on."

Before joining Ballard Spahr in 2014, Ashraf led the tax practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge.

"Saba has significant experience helping clients large and small navigate the complicated tax aspects of their deals. This experience will prove highly valuable to Pepper's clients," Joan C. Arnold, chair of Pepper Hamilton's tax and private clients practice, said in a statement Monday.

Ashraf said she has known Arnold, or at least known of her, since she was an associate in Atlanta, which is another reason she was attracted to Pepper Hamilton. "She is a giant of the tax bar," Ashraf said.

Ballard Spahr chairman Mark Stewart said in a statement Monday that the firm wishes Ashraf the best, and "we will have more to say about the growth of this practice area in a week or so."