City firm Nicholson Graham & Jones has poached four insolvency lawyers from Hill Taylor Dickinson.
Paul Oughton, head of one of Hill Taylor's two insolvency groups, is moving with his entire team – associate Tony Griffiths and assistants Lucy Edwards and Sally Rich – to NGJ's insolvency group this month.
The insolvency specialists were looking to leave Hill Taylor Dickinson, which is also City-based, and were put in touch with NGJ by recruitment consultancy Quarry Dougall.
It is understood that the lawyers felt they were not getting enough corporate and property insolvency work at Hill Taylors, which is principally a shipping and insurance practice.
Hill Taylor senior partner John Pople said his firm would recruit into its second insolvency group, which is headed by Mike McCarthy.
“Nicholson Graham & Jones is a very good firm and we wish them well there,” he said.
“We shall be continuing to look to expand in the various niches in which we operate, including insolvency, and that is what we will do.”
NGJ managing partner Michael Johns said the firm had been planning to expand its insolvency practice, which is headed by Shashni Rajani.
“In the insolvency world we were not perceived as having enough critical mass,” explained Johns.
“We believe that we are now well placed to meet any increase in insolvency and corporate recovery work which we anticipate occurring in the next phase of the economic cycle.”
