DLA Piper has lost a rated employment team with partners Makbool Javaid and Ewan Keen defecting to West End boutique Simons Muirhead & Burton.

Both will join the firm as partners, with Javaid heading up Simons’ employment team. DLA Piper consultant Dennis Taylor will move with the duo to become Simons’ head of in-house training, human resources (HR) consultancy and information services.