Linklaters has boosted its banking practice with the hire of Chris Howard from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

The move reunites Howard with former Freshfields partners David Ereira and Brian Gray, who joined Linklaters from the rival magic circle firm in 2007. It also marks a return to Linklaters for Howard, who was a senior associate with the firm before joining Freshfields as a partner in 2004.