Norton Rose has hired Hammond Suddards Edge private equity head David Baylis to beef up its European buyout practice

Baylis, who has been head of private equity since last April, is the first senior corporate partner to leave Hammonds since its takeover of Edge Ellison in 2000. Norton Rose has been boosting its European practice over the last year. However, last month it lost its acquisition finance practice to Allen & Overy. Hammonds also suffered the loss of two more partners this week – corporate partner Simon Killick and Midlands construction head David Lloyd Jones. Simon Killick is joining DJ Freeman, while Lloyd Jones has been hired by Midlands firm Gateley Wareing.