Clifford Chance (CC) has hired a senior Merrill Lynch lawyer and executive management committee member George Schieren to further bolster its respected US securities litigation practice.

The move sees Schieren, who was promoted to the executive committee and his post as senior vice president associate general counsel with the ‘bulge bracket’ investment house on 11 December 2000, join the magic circle firm’s litigation practice under the lead of former US managing partner Jim Benedict.