Herbert Smith has hired the IP head of Deloitte & Touche’s French legal arm to launch a dedicated IP and technology practice at its 80-lawyer Paris branch.

Alexandra Neri starts at the top 10 London firm on 17 March, together with two associates. She joins the UK firm as a partner after five years at Deloittes and its legacy local firm Thomas & Associes, to head up Herbert Smith’s Paris IP and technology practice.