Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is in talks to take on the bulk of Clifford Chance’s (CC) West Coast securities litigation practice as the magic circle giant continues to overhaul its troubled US practice.

The proposed deal would see nine partners from CC’s San Francisco branch transfer to Orrick and leave CC with only a handful of California lawyers two years after it launched the practice with a dramatic raid on Brobeck Phleger & Harrison.