When Legal Week revealed in 1999 that Chicago-based Winston & Strawn had pledged to secure a City launch within 12 months, few believed it would take more than four years for the firm to follow through on its promise.

But last week’s two-partner raid on the low-key City office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius has secured the UK law capability its top clients had demanded – even if the reality of the launch falls short of the hype generated by the firm’s London debut.