The French legal arm of KPMG has appointed top-tier external advisers on its dispute with local firm Fidal about a mass lawyer hire.

The Big Four accountancy firm has instructed highly rated local law firm Veil Jourde to help it defend action taken by Fidal in relation to KPMG’s hire of 144 Fidal lawyers – including 26 partners – earlier this year, according to one person close to the process.