EY (formerly Ernst & Young) has made another legal lateral hire in the form of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Richard Norbruis.

Norbruis is a corporate specialist and will make the move in September from Freshfields Amsterdam office where he has been a partner since 1999. He has experience in M&A, finance and securities work.

At EY he will lead the firm's global transaction law practice.

The accountancy firm has been developing its transactional law capability in recent months and has applied for an ABS (Alternative Business Structure) license in the UK, allowing it operate its legal practice with more autonomy from its accountancy and business service operations.

In London it has already hired Addlestone Goddard corporate lawyer Philip Goodstone and finance specialist Matthew Kellett from Berwin Leighton Paisner.

The firm's legal ambitions are not just restricted to Europe and it has already announced that it plans to expand in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.