Bryan Cave takes eight lawyers to boost trade group

US firm Bryan Cave has expanded its international trade practice by raiding national rivals White & Case and Katten Muchin Rosenman with eight hires to its Washington DC, Chicago and Los Angeles offices.

The hires come after nine lawyers, who joined the firm in March 2005, were able to recruit from their previous firms.

The hires include intellectual property partner Lyle Vander Schaaf, who joins the Washington office. Vander Schaaf had previously worked in-house at the US International Trade Commission.

Also joining Washington is international trade regulation counsel Albert Lo, trade remedy associates Corey Norton and Kelly Slater. Felipe Berer also joins as an international trade advisor while Mark Nguyen is a senior policy advisor in international trade who will split his time between Washington and LA.

Patricia Hanson and Tammie Krauskopf have been added as counsel to the Chicago office, focussing on customs and import/export issues respectively.