Deloitte has hired Allen & Overy partner and former managing partner contender Michael Castle to head its legal arm in the U..K, as the Big 4 accounting firm vies for greater influence in the legal sector.
Castle, who spent 20 years at A&O, will be Deloitte's first permanent head of legal.
The accounting firm had been looking for senior private practice lawyers to lead its legal offering, as it sought to build its sector presence.
Previously, the audit firm vice chair and partner Mark Tantam had served as interim U.K. legal head, spear-heading the search for a permanent head.
As of early last year, ALM’s intelligence arm found the firm had 1,800 lawyers, while its legal business was worth $250 million globally.
The Deloitte Legal U.K. team now employs more than 60 client-facing practicing lawyers and over 125 other fee earners.
Castle joined A&O in 1999 and made partner in 2007. In 2015 he was one of four partners to fie for managing partner at the firm, losing out to former corporate head Andrew Ballheimer.
"This is an exciting and challenging time for the legal industry. General Counsels face a number of converging complexities, ranging from a heightened regulatory environment to an increasingly globalized business landscape, not to mention an acceleration of technological advancements," Castle said in a statement.
Deloitte said it has big plans to grow its presence in the region under Castle’s leadership.
“We have sky-high ambitions for Deloitte Legal in the U.K., and this is why it is excellent to have someone of Michael’s caliber at the helm to build our presence and grow our distinctive suite of legal offerings," said Matt Ellis, managing partner for tax and legal at Deloitte North West Europe.
An A&O spokesperson said: “Michael Castle is leaving Allen & Overy. We would like to thank him for the contribution that he has made during his time here and wish him all the best for the future.”