DLA Piper has stunned the market by snapping up former City legend - and notorious hard man of the legal world - Anthony Lionel Angel. Tony to his mates.

The story was leaked by multiple sources across the market, and first reported in The Lawyer, which breathlessly announced that Angel - who is expected to join DLA in early November as senior partner - is thought to have been offered a wheelbarrow-bursting £2 million per year. And if he's really lucky, perhaps chief exec Sir Nigel Knowles will put him up for membership at Wentworth.

It's a major coup for DLA. Angel spent ten years at the helm at Linklaters, which flourished under his leadership (look out Tony, your halo's showing). But Big Tone has a reputation as a real hard man, ruthless in his pursuit of lean profit-making. So whilst the firm is giving an outward veneer of calm delight, there will surely be some less than flat-out partners looking around nervously.

And, lo, the Tony Angel came upon them, and the glory of the Tony shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Angel has hardly been resting on his harp since he left Links as he's been a non-exec at SJ Berwin in recent years, which will no doubt be mourning his loss.

It's been a rum old week for DLA. Just before Angel flew in, the firm was rocked by the departure of Miriam Gonzalez (or as the Daily Mail calls her, Mrs Nick Clegg). Gonzalez - who apparently has been conspicuously absent from the office over the past few months - is to re-emerge at Dechert as head of EU trade and EU government affairs. She's the fourth DLA partner to quit for the US firm in the past few months.

DLA Piper declined to comment on either move.