Dibbs' IT head defects to London office of US rival

DIBB Lupton Alsop's head of IT and telecoms Dave Barrett has quit to join the London office of US firm Arnold & Porter.

The loss of Barrett is the second major blow to Dibbs' IT practice in the last two months. Highly-rated partner Alistair Maughan left in August to set up a London office for another US firm, Shaw Pittman Plotts & Trowbridge.

Barrett - who joined Dibbs with Maughan from Theodore Goddard in 1993 - was involved in opening the firm's Brussels office and plans to expand into France and Germany.

Dibbs managing partner Nigel Knowles would not comment on Barrett's departure, other than to say IT partner Danelle Dinsdale would take over department operational control.

Washington-based Arnold & Porter is best-known for its regulatory, banking and telecoms work.

Barrett will join as a partner but no date has yet been finalised for his departure from Dibbs.