Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has brought in a high-profile patent litigation team from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom in the US.

The firm has recruited three partners from Skadden including Jeff Randall, who leads the US firm's patent litigation teams in Palo Alto, Washington DC and Boston.

Randall becomes Paul Hastings' new global co-head of intellectual property (IP) alongside Joseph O'Malley, and will continue to split his time between Washington DC and Palo Alto.

He will be joined by fellow patent litigation partners Allan Soobert and Jeff Pade, who will be based in Washington DC.

Randall joined Skadden in 2004 from Cooley Godward Kronish, where he was head of IP. He is a well-known name in the IP litigation sector, with major clients including Sun Microsystems, Apple, Dell, eBay and Intel.

Paul Hastings' global head of litigation Jamie Wareham said: "Strengthening our IP litigation practice is an important strategic goal of the firm."

He added: "Patent litigation work continues to be a growing practice area, and this team's proven success representing clients in the IP and technology sector along with its reputation for superior client service will allow us to further develop our client base and expand our offerings both in the US and globally."