Fulbright & Jaworski has bagged Dechert partner Michael McMillen to lead its global Islamic finance practice.McMillen, whose practice focuses on Islamic finance, projects and structured finance work, has joined Fulbright as a partner to head up the group, which sits within the corporate practice.He will split his time primarily between New York and the firm’s offices in Riyadh and Dubai but will also spend time in Fulbright’s London office.Prior to joining Fulbright, McMillen was a partner at Dechert, having previously helped launch King & Spalding’s London office in 2002.

Fulbright’s Middle East practice group head, John Lonsberg, commented: “Financings originating in the Middle East and Islamic Asia are growing in number and dollar amount, fueled in part by the great amounts of liquidity in those regions, and in part by the rapidly growing popularity of embracing Islamic values. Both the US and London markets are seeing material growth in these financings.”

Earlier this year Fulbright announced it was making up 11 new partners, including two in its City office. The firm has also made a number of lateral hires in its London office recently, taking on Barlow Lyde & Gilbert partner Melanie Ryan to its disputes practice last month as well as former BG Group general counsel Stefan Ricketts as a partner in its energy team the previous month