New home for top City lawyersTop City lawyers Maurice Allen and Nick Holt have finally found new homes at aggressively expanding firms.The duo co-founded the London office of US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges in 1995, but resigned earlier this year without a job to go to, with three months' gardening leave.

Mr Allen is joining another US firm in London, White & Case, with a team of six leading banking and finance partners from Weil Gotshal and his previous firm, Clifford Chance.

Mr Holt, former London managing partner, is set to join KPMG's associated law firm KLegal in June as managing partner.Weil Gotshal banking partners Martin Hughes and Mark Western, who resigned last week, and capital markets partner Rachel Hatfield are joining Mr Allen at White & Case, which is also taking senior finance partner Colin Potter and capital markets partner Jake Jackaman from Clifford Chance.

The firm plans to fly in a partner from New York to join them.

White & Case's London executive partner, John Bellhouse, said: 'The next phase of the build-out of the London office will follow quickly.' Mr Holt said: 'KLegal already has some top-quality lawyers, but they represent only the first step, as there are very ambitious plans for growth.' James Chesterman, another co-founder of Weil Gotshal's London office, said: 'We haven't had any client fall out at all from their departure and we are as busy as we have ever been.'Anne Mizzi