Wragge & Co has bolstered its intellectual property (IP) practice with the hire of Paul Inman from Howrey.

Inman is set to join the national law firm's City office next week (8 November), becoming the 12th partner in the firm's IP team. He will work with Patrick Duxbury, who leads the UK top 30 firm's 16-strong life sciences team.

Inman joined Howrey in 2008 as a partner, having previously spent 17 years at Simmons & Simmons. Inman, who has a background in molecular biology and biochemistry, has acted on a number of non-contentious patent matters and transactions as well as patent infringement and revocation actions in the UK Patents Court.

He has acted for a number of high-profile clients including GlaxoSmithKline and Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck.

Earlier this year Wragges appointed Munich-based IP specialist Alex Bayer to the partnership. The firm's Paris office, which opened in April, also provides IP advice through partner Philippe Rousseau.

Last month Wragges added to its City office with the hire of Barlow Lyde & Gilbert's London head of international arbitration, Peter Flint. He took on the same role at Wragges.

Inman is the latest departure from Howrey's IP practice in Europe, where at least 12 partners splintered off to create a new firm, Hoyng Monegier.

The 12 partners include name partners Denis Monegier du Sorbier and Willem Hoyng, former Howrey Europe managing partner and a member of the firm's executive committee, as well as Benoit Strowel, the head of the firm's European IP practice and one of Europe's best-known IP litigators.