Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Simeon Rudin is joining Latham & Watkins’ finance team in London.

Rudin, who will join as counsel at Latham, led Freshfields’ structured and asset finance team between 2008 and 2012.

He was a member of the derivatives and structured finance team, although he began his career as a tax lawyer. Rudin became a partner at the magic circle firm in 1995, having joining in 1982.

Throughout his time at Freshfields, he has advised corporate institutions on derivatives issues and banks on fintech issues.

In the past year, Latham has building up its London structured finance team after hiring Slaughter and May partner Sanjev Warna-kula-suriya.

The latter has since become the US firm’s co-chair of structured finance, which has also been bolstered by the arrival of Goldman Sachs lawyer Jeremy Green.

At present, Latham has five partners in London dedicated to structured finance transactions.

Freshfields closed a long-running review into its finance practice earlier this year, as part of a move to increase profitability of the group.

In the last few months, the magic circle firm has seen a string of departures from it finance practice, including partner Dougall Molson who joined Fieldfisher and partner Geoff O’Dea who left for Baker McKenzie.

This followed a number of other exits from a range of practices, with restructuring partner Sean Lacey following real estate finance partner Jonny Birks to Kirkland & Ellis. Rio Tinto appointed Freshfields corporate partner Philip Richards as its group general counsel, while IP partner Justin Watts joined WilmerHale with a senior associate.