Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has joined the wave of firms moving to bolster its financial regulatory capacity, hiring Hunton & Williams London financial services head Jonathan Marsh.

BLP’s hire echoes Clifford Chance‘s raid on Allen & Overy for financial services regulatory specialist partner Simon Gleeson last week. Clifford Chance also raided the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for leading regulatory enforcement lawyer Carlos Conceicao last month (The Lawyer, 12 September).

Marsh joined Hunton in March 2005 from Hammonds where he was head of the firm’s financial services and markets group. He previously served in the Securities & Futures Authority, the precursor to the FSA, and the London Metal Exchange.

The hire bolsters BLP’s financial institutions capability from a support function to a key practice that it intends to grow.

BLP corporate head John Bennett said: “Jon has also done a lot of work in commodities, and they are a developing asset class that is now a serious alternative besides hedge funds, private equity and real estate.”

Hunton US securities partner Raúl Grable said: “Hunton & Williams has a strong financial institutions practice in Europe and the US and we will invest further in financial services regulatory expertise in London.

“Jonathan made a good contribution to the growth of our practice and we wish him all the best in his new role.”