Kennedys has hired two insurance partners from Mayer Brown including its London insurance and reinsurance head David Chadwick.

Chadwick is set to join Kennedys' London office while insurance and reinsurance partner Andrew McGahey is joining the firm's Dublin base.

Chadwick joined Mayer Brown's London office in 1998 and was appointed insurance and reinsurance head in 2010. He specialises in policies involving political risk, financial risk, professional indemnity and reinsurance.

McGahey was promoted to partner in 2008. His work includes advising insurers on claims involving directors and officers, financial institutions and professionals.

Kennedys senior partner Nick Thomas said: David and Andrew have outstanding reputations within our core insurance market and we look forward to welcoming them to Kennedys growing' global network.

Mayer Brown London senior partner Sally Davies said: We will continue to be a tier one practice that invests in our highly-talented and extensive team of more than 30 lawyers in London, who will continue to serve our insurance clients. We thank David and Andrew for their contribution to the firm and wish them both the best at Kennedys.

Mayer Brown is not immediately replacing Chadwick as London insurance head, with head of litigation Ian McDonald continuing to oversee insurance. There are 12 partners within the London insurance team.

Kennedys has been on an expansion drive this year, with office launches in Paris and Bangkok, a merger with Manchester firm Berg and the acquisition of a 24-strong team from Hill Dickinson in Sheffield.

The firm also merged with US insurance outfit Carroll McNulty & Kull in June and has since strengthened its US operations with the hire of six partners from US firm Sedgwick.

Earlier this year the firm held merger talks with UK insurance firm Plexus but those talks later broke down.

Last year, Kennedys merged with London marine and shipping boutique Waltons & Morse, adding around 6m to the insurance firms' top line and five partners.

In 2016-17 the firm's revenue was 149.9m, an 8% increase on the previous year.