Amazon hires Morgan Lewis tax manager

Morgan Lewis & Bockius is losing yet another tax specialist - this time to internet giant Amazon - as the USfirm restructures its international department.

Robert Comfort, tax manager at Morgan Lewis' Philadelphia office, is joining the internet company to head its tax capability.

Comfort is the fourth high-profile tax lawyer to have left the firm since the end of last year.

In January this year, Morgan Lewis lost the chairman of its international tax practice, John Williams, to Shearman & Sterling's New York office.

Just a month before, the firm lost London-based tax specialist David Way to Boodle Hatfield.

Bill Macan, also in tax, recently left the firm to join Allen & Overy's New York office.

Joint manager in tax Ken Kail was unavailable to comment on the reason for the departures. But one source says: "The simple reason is that Morgan Lewis is not making any money. This has been going on for a couple of years."