Willkie Farr & Gallagher is opening its second office in the Bay Area, in San Francisco, bringing on two litigators from Keker, Van Nest & Peters.

Partner Simona Agnolucci and Benedict "Ben" Hur will co-lead the New York firm's new San Francisco office. Prior to the move, Hur was at Keker for 14 years, and Agnolucci practiced there for more than seven years.

"This was just a totally unique opportunity to build and shape the West Coast litigation practice for a renowned international firm based [in] New York," Hur said. "I don't think those opportunities come around very often. And just hearing about how Willkie intended to build the office and their entrepreneurial spirit, it really dovetails with something I've always had in the back of my mind, as something exciting to try."