Simmons & Simmons has welcomed Matthew Durham as a partner in its China employment practice in Shanghai from Winston & Strawn, where he was the Asia head of employment. 

He advises international clients across various sectors on labour, employment and corporate law issues in China, and assists on all related issues, including employment questions, separations, union matters, stock options and incentive schemes.

Durham is a familiar face at Simmons, having trained and qualified as a solicitor with the firm in 1998 and becoming a consultant in 2009. His rehiring is part of an expansion which Fiona Loughrey, Simmons’ head of employment in Asia, expects to result in at least five new lawyers joining her team by the end of the year, the firm said in a statement. In February, Simmons’ China employment practice lost a five-lawyer team, led by partner Lesli Ligorner, to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

Durham’s exit from Winston comes as the Chicago-headquartered firm consolidated its Greater China offices, closing its offices in Beijing – where he split his time between Shanghai – and Taipei in May.