Shearmans and Brown & Wood poach from Clifford Chance...

Clifford Chance is the latest City firm to lose fee earners to US firms.

Brown & Wood has snapped up capital markets specialist Michael Doran as a partner in its London office, while Shearman & Sterling has lured arbitration and litigation lawyers Christopher Colbridge and Rajinder Bassi.

Shearman & Sterling is extending its international arbitration and litigation practice to London with the appointment of Colbridge and Bassi. The practice now comprises nearly 30 lawyers in Paris, London and the US.

Emmanuelle Gaillard, head of the firm's international arbitration and litigation practice, says: "We are delighted to add Chris and Rajinder to our team. As one of the top arbitration firms, we needed to have a presence in London."

At Brown & Wood, Doran will continue to focus on mainstream and emerging market transactions, including equity and debt financings and debt restructurings. He has particularly strong experience in South America and Eastern Europe.

He says his practice and client base fit well with Brown & Wood's core practice areas of capital markets, securitisation and debt restructurings. Doran adds: "I'm also delighted to be working again with Margaret Boswell, a partner here. Margaret is a former colleague and friend from our days at Clifford Chance."