Intellectual property quartet is reunited at Charles Russell

A team of four media and intellectual property lawyers, who were split up when their London firm was swallowed by Eversheds, have joined Charles Russell after getting together to make pitches to four firms.

The four worked together for three years at Jaques & Lewis, but split up when it became Eversheds' London office. Two briefly joined other firms before going to Charles Russell.

The four are partners Robing Bynoe and Peter Coles, who remained with Eversheds until the move, Caroline Temperton, who worked for Freshfields' IP team for six months, and fellow assistant solicitor Timothy Bamford, who spent 18 months at Nabarro Nathanson as a specialist in IP and IT law.

The idea to make pitches to firms as a team was initiated by Bynoe and Coles. Bynoe, who worked for Jaques for 23 years before it merged with Eversheds, said he and Coles decided to leave when the firm made it clear media law was no longer an area of interest.

Eversheds' managing partner Peter Scott said their departure was amicable. "As far as IP is concerned, we are forging ahead and recruiting. But we came to the conclusion that media practices were not part of Eversheds' long-term strategy. Robin and Peter are essentially media partners."

Bynoe said all his clients would transfer to Charles Russell. "This is a matter entirely open between ourselves and Eversheds. Charles Russell already has a flourishing media practice, but does not have film and music. It's a very strong practice, in cable in particular."

Temperton, who specialises in IP in the IT industry, is understood to have been unhappy at the non-contentious work she was offered at Freshfields.

Jennifer Pierce, formerly an in-house lawyer with BTG, also joined the team recently.