UK-based Canadian lawyer Philip Alberstat is to join WilliamMorris Independent as a talent agent. He will move from London to Los Angelesin January.

Alberstat has been based in the UK since 1986 and iscurrently a partner at leading law firm Osborne Clarke. He has also been aleading light in indie film-makers' organisation Raindance and recentlypublished The Insider's Guide To Film Finance, a how to book published by Focal Press.

He will work closely with WMI co-chiefs Rena Ronson andCassian Elwes and specialise in packaging European material.