Tide changes on US coasts as IP market swells

The US IP market is heating up on both coasts, with two key partners moving firms last week.

On the East Coast Goodwin Procter lost its head of IP when Ethan Horwitz defected to King & Spalding in New York.

In Silicon Valley on the West Coast patent specialist Steven Baik left Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati for Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe.

Horwitz's practice focuses on trademark litigation. During a 30-year career he has acted for clients including JPMorgan, IBM and Kraft.

King & Spalding is focusing on building its New York IP team, hiring patent litigator Richard Pettus from McDermott Will & Emery in January.

Baik specialises in engineering patent litigation and portfolio management.

Gary Weiss, Orrick IP head and managing partner of the Silicon Valley office, said: "The number and scope of patent litigation matters we're handling is increasing… in the US and throughout the world."