Taylor Wessing turns to Osborne Clarke for hire of UK TMT head

He will be replaced by Adrian Bott, who has spent nine years as head of the firm’s business transactions practice group, while M&A head Ray Berg will succeed Bott to oversee a third of the firm’s lawyers.

Turner, who has spent four years at Osborne Clarke, said: “I’m proud of what I’ve helped the digital business team at OC to achieve during my time at the firm, achievements which have been widely recognised in the market. I wish the firm every success as it continues on its exciting journey.”

Bott, whose clients include Everything Everywhere and Carphone Warehouse, said Turner had moved the sector forward during his time there.

Bott said: “Mike deserves huge thanks for all his efforts whilst at OC and leaves as a friend. He has helped move our digital business sector group forward during his time at the firm and we shall all miss him.”

The firm had started elections on Bott’s replacement in November and was already preparing to install Berg as head of the business transactions group when Turner announced his departure last week.

Bott said there was no timescale set for Turner leaving the firm and that they were both informing clients this week in what he described as an “amicable disengagement”.

According to Bott, Turner’s hire is not dependent on a portable book of business going with him.

Osborne Clarke said Turner’s move was “a loss” but that it was a “one-off” that would not signal a run of departures.

Bott added: “We’re not complacent, but we don’t have a track record of leaking partners.

“We’re in the process of developing our international strategy, which is slightly different to Taylor Wessing’s strategy. I’m sure over the course of time we’ll both end up in the same places.”

In November, Osborne Clarke hired digital TV provider YouView legal chief John Davidson-Kelly into its digital business group (2 November 2012).