On Monday 16 January 2012, Macfarlanes was joined by a team from the boutique specialist hedge fund law firm, D Harris & Co International Limited (DHCI).

DHCI acted for many of the largest hedge funds in Europe and the US and provided advice on complex credit equity, fixed income, foreign exchange, interest rate, inflation, relative value and volatility swap trades, custody, prime brokerage and synthetic financing arrangements.

Charles Martin, senior partner, said: “We have been looking to do something more in the hedge fund area for some time. There is clear market demand. It is a natural adjunct to our private equity, financing and private client practices. We have been doing an increasing amount of work for hedge funds in any event in the recent past. In the light of increasing regulatory pressure globally, but particularly in the US, this is an area that has strategic importance for the financial services industry. We wanted to offer more depth and breadth, and we also have some important common clients, so this makes a great fit.”

Daniel Harris said “I am delighted that our clients and the outstanding team that we have built over the last seven years will benefit from a platform that can take the practice forward. Macfarlanes shares our commitment to quality and lawyering and client service. Clients increasingly look for a broader offering to complement the market leading specialism which we have built up. Having worked with Macfarlanes and many others we think this is the best cultural and business fit. I look forward to helping to ensure that the transition goes smoothly for all concerned. The Macfarlanes platform will enable us to offer what our clients are looking for without compromising the client service standards on which DHCI has built its reputation.”