DLA Piper has lost a respected 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 also move with the duo to become Simons’ head of in-house training, human resources consultancy and information services.