Allen & Overy (A&O) has secured the eye-catching hire of two New York energy and infrastructure partners from magic circle rival Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, in a rare move between top-tier UK firms in the US.

US energy and infrastructure head Kent Rowey and fellow partner Dolly Mirchandani are both leaving Freshfields to join A&O’s base in New York. Mirchandani is also Freshfields’ global co-head of pro bono.