Team moves are becoming an increasingly common feature of the legal sector. The process of ‘bolting on’ a team is now regularly being used by City law firms seeking a quick way to build up their position in key practice areas.

However, the impact of express obligations contained in partnership deeds and the duties implied by law mean that before a partner can extract himself and his team from his current firm and head for greener pastures, he must first pick his way through a legal minefield.