Osborne Clarke’s (OC’s) former senior partner Richard Smerdon, the man responsible for setting up the top regional firm’s London and Reading practices, has come out of retirement to take over the leadership of the firm’s high-profile Silicon Valley branch.

Smerdon, who has been based in Silicon Valley in recent years, retired from the firm 18 months ago, but will return to lead the Palo Alto office in May following the return to Bristol of Simon Beswick to be OC’s new managing partner.