Clifford Chance's head of corporate finance Peter Brooks is leaving to become general counsel for one of his clients, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell.

Brooks, 49, listed in Chambers Directory as one of the top 18 corporate lawyers among London's big City firms, joined Clifford Chance's predecessor firm, Clifford Turner, from Macfarlanes 28 years ago.

Clifford Chance senior partner Keith Clark said: “We're sorry to lose him, but this is a very good move for him and we're flattered that Peter was chosen for this prestigious post by one of our major clients. It was quite clear when Deutsche Morgan Grenfell created the post that they were going to fill it from one of the City firms.”

Brooks, who will take up his post in the new year, is the latest of several high-flying City lawyers who have gone in-house in recent years.

Tim Freshwater left Slaughter and May this spring to work at investment bank Jardine Fleming, where he is now deputy chair; Jim Watkins, of Linklaters & Paines, went to be group legal director of Trafalgar House two years ago and now has the same post at Kaverner.