Willkie Farr & Gallagher has kickstarted its London arbitration growth ambitions with a partner hire from a U.S. rival in the city.

International arbitration barrister Duncan Speller joins the firm from Wilmer Culter Pickering Hale & Dorr to launch Willkie’s own arbitration practice. Speller joined WilmerHale in 2002 and was promoted to the partnership in 2013.