Manches has hired partners Clive Zietman and Andrew Shaw from the beleaguered London arm of US litigation specialist Shook Hardy & Bacon to launch a new commercial litigation and arbitration practice.

Zietman, who will head up the new group, was a name partner at niche litigation practice Arnander Irvine & Zietman (AIZ), which was taken over by Shook Hardy in 2002.