Holland & Knight on Thursday announced the hiring of five private equity partners formerly of Second Hundred firm Moore & Van Allen to work in its Charlotte, North Carolina, office, raising its head count in the Queen City to 29 attorneys.

Partners Rick Bange, John Gilson, Mike Miller, Emerich Gutter and Ben Weadon started on Thursday, arriving with a national clientele of private equity sponsors such as independent sponsors, search funds and private and public companies that it represents in mergers and acquisitions and investment transactions. All of the group’s clients that have been contacted about the move have agreed to follow the lawyers to Holland & Knight, according to Miller, and associates and of counsels from Moore & Van Allen may join in the coming weeks.