Loeb & Loeb has hired a three-partner team from Winston & Strawn, including Brian Heidelberger, the former leader of the firm's advertising, marketing and brand protection practice.

Heidelberger, who is based in Chicago, makes the move to the California-connected media practice at Loeb & Loeb alongside partners Monique Bhargava and Robert Newman. Heidelberger said the group will also bring nine associates to Loeb & Loeb.

The firm's advanced media and technology practice was previously led by Kenneth Florin, a New York-based partner who became Loeb & Loeb's chairman in February. Florin's clients have included Comcast Corp., Facebook Inc., McDonald's Corp., Publicis Groupe SA and Visa Inc. The practice is now chaired by James Taylor, who also leads Loeb & Loeb's advertising and promotions practice.

Heidelberger said he did not use a legal recruiter in leaving Winston & Strawn, instead speaking directly with Loeb & Loeb's Florin and Taylor, both of whom he said he has close relationships with.

“In coming to this firm, with Ken at the helm, we found a place that understood, valued and supported this space of advanced media and technology,” Heidelberger said. “[Loeb & Loeb] and our team saw the opportunity to really create what we think will be the dominant force in the space. I think of it as a merger of Coke and Pepsi.”

Heidelberger had been a lifer at Winston & Strawn, joining the Chicago-based Am Law 100 firm in 1994 after graduating law school. A Winston & Strawn spokeswoman said the firm was proud to have worked with Heidelberger, Newman and Bhargava.

“For reasons of strategic fit, we came to a mutual and amicable conclusion that the growth and success of Brian, Rob and Monique's practice would be better served at another firm,” Winston & Strawn said in a statement. “We wish them and their team all the best.”

Heidelberger, who in his own bit of advertising innovation has a series of YouTube law lessons, said the practice of advanced media and technology is coming to encompass a broader set of legal matters as business trends toward digital communication.

“We think we're uniquely positioned to not only handle advanced media and technology work,” said Heidelberger, “but any major issue a business might have because all of their needs are converging in this advanced media and technology space.”

Loeb & Loeb's Chicago office now has nearly 50 lawyers. While the firm lost a large team of entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles earlier this year to Paul Hastings, Loeb & Loeb's Windy City outpost has in recent months picked up a six-lawyer group of trusts and estates lawyers from Sidley Austin as the latter exited that practice area.