Elverston, 39, will join Smith from the no-less formidable firm of Clifford Chance, where he has spent his career so far.

John Edwards, head of Herbert Smith’s international communications practice, describes Elverston as a ‘transactional company/commercial lawyer with a focus on telecommunications, broadcasting and IT’. As a partner at Clifford Chance, he has considerable experience working with Japanese clients and is a fluent Japanese speaker.

Edwards enthuses ‘Nick is exactly the kind of dynamic and commercial lawyer we are looking for to take forward the firm’s communications practice.