Mourant du Feu & Jeune has hired the head of trust litigation from offshore rival Maples and Calder in a boost to the firm’s Cayman Islands disputes team.

Ziva Robertson, who joins Mourant as a partner next month, specialises in contentious trust, probate and fiduciary disputes, representing local and international trustees of large private and charitable trusts.

She will be joined at Mourant by senior associate Peter Hayden, who switched from southeast firm Matthew Arnold & Baldwin (MAB) last week. Hayden, who was a partner with MAB’s contentious banking and finance group, specialises in financial services litigation, particularly in insolvency-related matters.

At Mourant, the new duo will work closely alongside Cayman disputes partner Hector Robinson.

The appointments take Mourant’s Cayman operation to around 50 lawyers, following the firm’s merger with local outfit Quin & Hampson last year.

Mourant chief executive Stephen Ball commented: “We are very excited about the future of Mourant in Cayman; it’s a core part of our strategy for client-led international expansion and our commitment to be the truly multi-jurisdictional firm offshore.”

Last month the offshore giant added new partners to its finance and funds practices, with Allen & Overy finance partner Richard de Basto joining the firm’s Cayman arm, while Maples associate Matthew Feargrieve joined the City-based Cayman funds group.