Macfarlanes bolts on boutique in funds boost

The entire staff of law firm D Harris & Co International (DHCI) is set to transfer to Macfarlanes to complement the firm’s existing hedge funds practice.

The City firm’s hedge funds work is largely carried out by funds partner Stephen Robinson.

The move follows the exit of funds partner Stephen Sims to launch Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom’s London funds practice (21 September 2011).

The incoming team consists of six lawyers, including former barrister and Goldman Sachs in-house lawyer Daniel Harris, the founder of DHCI. He joins Macfarlanes as a consultant, while the other five lawyers join as assistants and senior assistants.

A further paralegal and two trainees from DHCI are joining Macfarlanes in the same role. All but one of the team will be full-time staff members.

Macfarlanes senior partner Charles Martin said: “As a firm we’ve been looking to development the hedge funds practice for a while.”