Life sciences patent litigator Angus Chen has left IP boutique Haug Partners to become a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York. He said his focus on fighting for clients in the specialty pharmaceutical space would fit right in at the litigation megafirm.

Quinn Emanuel called Chen a "virtuoso" in its Thursday announcement of his hire. He has worked for such pharmaceutical clients as Chiesi, Takeda, Shire, Baxalta, Medicure and The Medicines Co., according to the Am Law 100 firm's website, on cases involving billion-dollar drugs suc as Shire's Vyvanse.

Chen, who led the life science practice at his last firm, said he "just couldn't pass" on the chance to move from Haug Partners, a boutique with about 50 lawyers in Boston, New York and Washington, to Quinn Emanuel, which has more than 800 lawyers and annual revenue of over $1 billion.