Four former Hogan Lovells partners who joined DLA Piper to build up the firm’s US energy practice have rejoined their former firm after little more than a year away.

Kevin Lipson, Stefan Krantz, John Lilyestrom and Christopher Schindler, all of whom are based in Washington DC and focus on the natural gas sector, are set to return to Hogan Lovells after their high-profile exit in January 2012.