Wilmer Cutler City partner trio go to Heller

West Coast tech leader Heller Ehrman has moved to beefed up its fledgling London operation with the hire a three-partner team from US rival Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr.

Corporate partners Richard Eaton, Christopher Grew and Struan Penwarden will all join Heller's London office in what are the first lateral hires made by the firm for its City operation since its launch was announced last month.

The team joins Heller's corporate/venture law group and will anchor the new London arm alongside corporate partner Stephen Ferruolo, who is transferring from San Diego.

San Francisco-based property and finance partner Brian Smith and Washington DC competition partner Edward Henneberry have also been transferred to London to kick-start the offering.

The departures will be seen as a further blow to Wilmer Cutler's European ambitions after its eight-lawyer Munich office split from the firm to launch a standalone practice last month.