Taking IP lawyers from boutique law firms is all the rage these days, and Cozen O'Connor is getting in on the trend.

As it continues to grow, the Philadelphia-based Am Law 100 firm's recent lateral hires have highlighted its focus on building up its intellectual property practice, as well as its lobbying and government relations abilities.

On Tuesday the firm announced the arrival of IP litigator Thomas J. Fisher, a longtime partner at IP boutique Oblon McClelland Maier & Neustadt, where he was chair of the International Trade Commission litigation practice group. Fisher had practiced at that firm since he graduated from law school in 1999.

Large firms across the country have been adding to their IP practices through acquisitions and group laterals. Venable announced a combination with IP firm Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto; Morgan, Lewis & Bockius took over 50 professionals from McDermott Will & Emery's IP practice; and Stinson Leonard Street acquired 24-lawyer Senniger Powers in St. Louis.

Fisher said he wanted to get out of the boutique setting so he could take advantage of a broader practice and cross-selling opportunities. At Cozen O'Connor, he said, “It seemed like the D.C. IP group was an exciting place to be, they had a good thing going in the life sciences.”

His practice, however, is focused on electrical, mechanical and computer software patents, and he was an engineer before entering the legal profession. According to federal court records, Fisher's recent clients have included Steuben Foods, OneSubsea, Kuhn Krause Inc. and Cameron International Corp., but he declined to comment on clients.

Fisher joins less than two months after the firm brought on a pair of partners from Seed IP Law Group in Seattle, Frank Abramonte and Lorraine Linford. Abramonte told The Recorder in August that clients have traditionally gone to smaller Seattle firms for patent work, but they have increasingly been taking that work to larger, general practice firms as they grow their IP practices. He said Cozen O'Connor offered the right cultural fit and fewer conflicts than other large firms he could have joined.

Fisher made a similar observation, noting that he did not encounter conflicts with his existing work at Cozen O'Connor, but ran into conflicts issues at other firms he considered.

A spokeswoman for Oblon McClelland said the firm wishes Fisher well, and noted its recent hire of partner Michael Casey, who came from Davidson Berquist Jackson + Gowdey.

Cozen isn't the only Pennsylvania-based firm to get in on the recent IP trend. Pepper Hamilton, Saxton & Stump and Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads have bulked up their IP capabilities this year as well with individual laterals and small groups.

Fisher noted the cross-selling opportunities IP practices present for large firms, However, he said, “There are still price pressures on prosecution. I think there will always be a role for smaller boutiques for that type of work.”

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Tacking on More Lobbyists

Earlier this month, Cozen O'Connor hired attorney and lobbyist Thomas Lisk in Richmond, Virginia, to be part of the firm's lobbying subsidiary Cozen Public Strategies. He had previously practiced at Pittsburgh-based Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, representing businesses in state regulatory matters including alcohol, antitrust, election law, gaming, health care, franchise, insurance and internet regulation.

Lisk's move to Cozen O'Connor reunited him with government relations principal Julia Ciarlo Hammond, who had made a move from Eckert Seamans to Cozen O'Connor in July, along with Ryan O'Toole. They were two of six professionals to join Public Strategies between May and July.

And in August, Public Strategies added Alexandra Campau as a principal and health policy director in Washington, D.C., after she served as special assistant to the president for health policy on the White House Domestic Policy Council.

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