Allen & Overy Adds Five Goodwin Intellectual Property Lawyers

Allen & Overy is expanding its footprint in life sciences by recruiting five intellectual property litigators and adding an office in Boston.

The partners are from Goodwin Procter and include Elizabeth Holland, who will become U.S. head of the firm’s life sciences practice, Allen & Overy said in a Thursday statement.

The aim is “to become the only elite global law firm to offer scaled, coordinated, top tier intellectual property litigation capabilities to life sciences businesses across the U.S., UK, continental Europe and Asia-Pacific,” senior partner Tim House said in the statement.

The additions follow Allen & Overy’s opening of two new offices in California and its acquisition of a seven-partner technology practice from White & Case. The firm’s expansion also included bringing aboard two life sciences litigation partners in Germany.

Two of the new partners, John Bennett and Nick Mitrokostas, will be based in the firm’s new office in Boston, where several Big Law firm opened offices in recent years for clients in technology and life sciences.

Allen & Overy’s life sciences practice will operate out of Boston, New York and Washington, the firm said. The other two partners joining London-headquartered Allen & Overy from Goodwin are Bill James and Daniel Margolis.

The firm has also been expanding its energy sector practice amid a surge in interest in sustainability and infrastructure projects. Earlier this month, Allen & Overy brought aboard George Cannon Jr. from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld for its project, energy, natural resources and infrastructure practice in Washington.

The firm has more than 40 offices worldwide, and employs some 5,650 people, including about 580 partners. The addition of the five Goodwin partners brings the firm’s two-year lateral hire total to 39.