BLG strengthens with double hire

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has re-enforced its employment team with the hire of Fladgate Fielder's head of employment Adam Lambert and has recruited associate director Emily Benson for its financial services regulatory team from the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) enforcement division.

The firm has suffered from slow growth and departures this year, with commercial litigation head Clare Canning leaving for Mayer Brown following the loss of financial services regulatory chief Chris Warren-Smith and Singapore boss David Johnston jumping ship.

BLG's employment practice, however, has doubled its turnover in the past 18 months and earlier this month the firm attempted to resurrect its non-contentious practice with the hire of Taylor Wessing corporate partner Roger Pike.

Benson has joined the firm as an associate director, one level below partner, and will report to financial services regulatory head Ian Mason, with whom she worked for three years while at the FSA.