Allen & Overy (A&O) has vowed to become one of the country’s top private equity firms, following its move to boost its UK buy-out practice with the hire of Lovells private equity partner Derek Baird.

Baird, who has been a partner at Lovells since 2002 after joining from Dickson Minto, becomes the firm’s fourth private equity partner in London, and will look to continue working for his main private equity clients Charterhouse and 3i.