UK law firm Clifford Chance has continued its US push by hiring a lawyer to head up a new financial regulatory practice in the country to equal its strength on its home turf.

Clifford Chance hired regulatory partner Thomas Pax from rival Pillsbury Winthrop. Pax will start a new US regulatory practice centering around financial services. Pax, who is based in Washington, specialises in mergers and acquisitions and licensing issues surrounding foreign banks that do business in the US.