White & Case hires CC funds partner

White & Case has raided Clifford Chance to hire funds partner Matthew Judd as the US firm looks to ramp up its European investment funds practice.

Judd, who has relationships with existing White & Case clients Société Générale and ABN Amro, is due to join the New York-headquartered firm’s London office in February to develop a local investment funds practice.

The hire bolster’s White & Case’s global investment funds capability to 25 lawyers, of which 11 are in Continental Europe. The London offering will be further expanded by the relocation of a senior associate from the US.

Judd has been with Clifford Chance since 2000 and was promoted to the partnership in 2003. His previous experience also includes a secondment from Linklaters to Morgan Stanley Investment Management in 1999.

The hire comes as White & Case looks to beef up its corporate, finance and capital markets offerings in Europe.

The firm also raided magic circle rival Linklaters in August to hire of Alan Rockwell as a banking and capital markets partner. Rockwell was a managing associate at Linklaters.

White & Case London senior partner Peter Finlay said in a statement: “We’ve been active in investment funds work for some time, but Matthew’s arrival is a significant step forward for us and our clients, providing additional resource in what is an extremely rapidly growing sector. In particular, Matthew will be a real asset for our private equity clients.”