Ashurst has hired a banking litigation and investigations expert from investment banking giant Goldman Sachs to expand the law firm's disputes and investigations practice in London.

Philip Linton joins as a partner and brings with him more than two decades of litigation experience in private practice and in-house. Linton spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs in London, first as senior counsel for litigation and later as managing director leading the bank’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) litigation and contentious regulatory team.

Tom Connor, head of dispute resolution for EMEA at Ashurst, said: “[Linton] brings a deep experience of the financial services markets, and disputes in the sector, that will be valuable for our clients. His recruitment reflects Ashurst’s continued strategic focus on growing our disputes and investigations capability.”

Prior to his time at Goldman Sachs, Linton spent almost nine years at Stephenson Harwood, most recently as a senior banking litigation associate. He joined the firm as a trainee back in 2002.

Linton noted Ashurst’s strong client relationships across the financial services market, adding its “disputes and investigations practice is first-rate, and I am looking forward to being part of the firm's dynamic and collaborative environment.”

Ashurst has been seeking to grow its global disputes capabilities over the past year through a number of senior hires in Asia and Europe. In January, its Indonesian associate firm Oentoeng Suria & Partners (OSP) hired Hillman Sembiring as a partner in its dispute resolution practice in Jakarta. In September, it hired Frankfurt-based Arne Fuchs from McDermott Will & Emery as a partner and head of public international law and investment arbitration. Also in September, the firm hired Madrid-based litigation and arbitration lawyer José Ramón Casado from Baker McKenzie as a partner in its dispute resolution practice.

Other firms have also been expanding their disputes coverage in London in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Howard Kennedy boosted its arbitration practice through a merger with three-partner construction law boutique Corbett & Co. Also in March, Pinsent Masons hired senior investor-state arbitration partner Sylvia Tonova from Jones Day, while Kingsley Napley hired former Ince partner Melanie Hart to head up its new IP disputes practice.