Debevoise & Plimpton, the US-based law firm, has hired Richard Ward as a tax partner to support the firm's expanding mergers and acquisitions, private equity and financing practices in London.

Ward joins from Bird & Bird, the European law firm he worked at for more than a decade. He is the second London-based partner Debevoise & Plimpton has hired in just over a month. Peter Hockless recently joined the financing practice after spending 24 years at Allen & Overy, the UK firm.