Vanessa Williams, previously an equity partner in Morgan Cole's corporate department in Oxford, will now head up Bevan Ashford's corporate finance work in London.
For Bevan Ashford, the hire creates a corporate finance triumvirate with Bristol-based partner John Townsend and Birmingham-based partner Geoff Perry, who recently joined from CMS Cameron McKenna.
Commercial development director David Worskett said the London appointment would enable Bevan Ashford to offer a truly nationwide corporate finance capability.
Williams said: “Since many of my clients and contacts are London-based, it really feels as though I'm coming home again. I'm especially looking forward to strengthening Bevan Ashford's national corporate finance capability from London, and utilising all the experience I gained at Morgan Cole – literally building up a business as well as a specialist corporate finance team.”
Other recent departures from Morgan Cole include employment partner Alison Wallis, who joined Steptoe & Johnson last September, and insurance partners Mark Fanning and Hugh Price, who left late last year for Badhams and Hugh James respectively.