A round up of stories from the UK and around the world

Lovells bolsters Italian team
Lovells is boosting its Italian practice with two senior lawyers who are joining as partners. Andrew Welbourn (left) joins the London office as a banking partner from Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. He will specialise in Italian financing work, particularly in the power sector. In Milan, the office is taking on Marco Rota Candiani from Grimaldi Clifford Chance. He is an M&A specialist and will increase the number of partners in the firm's fledgling Milan office to six.
Hewitsons hires in-houser for Northampton
Hewitson Becke + Shaw has recruited a former in-house lawyer who has worked for companies such as Horizon Travel, Avon Cosmetics and Britannia Airways into its Northampton commercial and technology team. Kevin Fletcher, who returned to private practice in the late 1980s, joins from Oxford firm Darbys where he was head of the company commercial department. Between his in-house career and his position at Darbys, Fletcher also practised at Birmingham and Leicester firm Edge Ellison (now Hammond Suddards Edge) and Milton Keynes firm Fennemores.
THM Tinsdill partner joins Greystoke
Greystoke Legal Services is taking on a partner from Midlands law firm THM Tinsdills. Chris Hiley is joining Greystoke, a specialist provider of litigation insurance services to the legal profession, to spearhead the development of after-the-event insurance for the insolvency profession. He is involved in research and development for a new product called Greystoke Insolvency Assist.
New legal head for Music Choice
International music entertainment company Music Choice has appointed former Olswang-commerce lawyer Donagh O'Malley as its head of legal and business affairs. His main responsibilty at Music Choice will be copyright licensing clearance and intellectual property work.
Radcliffes wins Trowers head of charities
Radcliffes has appointed Trowers & Hamlins' head of charities as the new head of its charities group. Jean Dollimore was a private client partner at Trowers, where clients included St Dunstan's, the National Childbirth Trust and Leonard Cheshire Foundation.
Insolvency lawyer joins Weil
Weil Gotshal & Manges is taking on a senior manager Chris Mallon from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to launch a UK insolvency practice. Weil Gotshal London managing partner Mike Francies (left) said the firm is still working to build a larger insolvency practice in London.
2 Mitre Court takes on planning specialist
Michael Fitzgerald's 2 Mitre Court Buildings has appointed Paul Shaderevian from East Anglian Chambers in Ipswich. Planning specialist Shaderevian will join the set as a junior tenant, bringing client Thames Waste with him. Before joining East Anglian chambers Shaderevian was a partner at Norton Rose.
Herbert Smith top biller announces retirement
Herbert Smith corporate and insurance partner Marian Pell is due to retire next March. According to a firm spokesperson her position will be filled by Herbert Smith partner David Willis. Pell, who was one of the firm's top billers, has clients including AXA and Friends Provident.
McGrigors completes landmark PPP deal
McGrigor Donald has completed the first public private partnership deal for the management and disposal of municipal solid waste in Scotland. The firm acted for Argyll and Bute Council in a deal with a capital value of around £26m. McGrigor Donald's project partner Jim Smith led the deal.