Manches has signed up intellectual property (IP) and litigation partner Margaret Tofalides from Addleshaw Goddard.

Tofalides, who headed up Addleshaws' retail and data and information groups, has experience of working on a wide range of IP matters with a focus on litigation. She has acted for the likes of Argos, Homebase and Harrods.

She becomes the fourth partner in the firm's London technology/IP team, which is led by Alex Fox.

Her addition follows Manches' hire of litigation partner Phil Hooley from Clyde & Co in April. The firm has suffered a number of partner exits in recent months, including the departures of Clive Zietman and Andrew Shaw to Stewarts Law.
     
Senior partner Louis Manches commented: "Margaret's reputation and profile in the retail sector precede her and her longstanding clients fit well with our existing retail client base."

Tofalides is the eighth partner to leave Addleshaws in the last few months. Earlier this month US firm Dorsey & Whitney bolstered its City corporate practice with the hire of partner Matthew Doughty.

Other partners to depart Addleshaws have moved to firms such as Field Fisher Waterhouse, DWF, Finers Stephens Innocent and Stephenson Harwood, while the firm's former IP head Richard Kempner quit to launch Leeds-based boutique Kempner Robinson along with patent litigation partner Stuart Jackson.