International
Kirkland & Ellis has hired a barrister from Three New Square — a leading specialist intellectual property (IP) chambers in London — as a partner in its IP practice, according to Law360. The lateral hire brings specialist IP litigation expertise directly into Kirkland's London partnership, a move that continues the firm's sustained investment in its City practice across contentious and transactional disciplines. Three New Square is one of the UK's most prominent IP sets, with a strong track record in patent litigation, trade marks, and related technology disputes before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the Patents Court. Recruiting directly from the Bar — rather than from another law firm — is a deliberate strategy for US firms looking to strengthen their English-law litigation capability by bringing in advocates with direct court experience rather than solicitor-practitioners who would have historically relied on separate briefing counsel. The hire reflects the broader pattern of elite US firms deepening their London partnerships in specialist practice areas as they compete more aggressively for high-margin English-law mandates that were previously the preserve of Magic Circle and leading UK litigation practices.
Why this matters
Recruiting a barrister directly from a leading IP set into a law firm partnership is a strategic move that strengthens Kirkland's ability to run contentious IP matters end-to-end in London without relying on external counsel. This is commercially significant given the volume of tech sector M&A and licensing disputes that benefit from integrated transactional and litigation IP advice. The hire also reflects the increasing permeability of the Bar/solicitor divide as US firms build out City practices capable of competing with Magic Circle firms on complex English-law IP work. For students targeting US firms in London, this signals that specialist IP and tech-sector disputes are active growth areas.
On the Ground
A trainee supporting an IP litigation matter would assist with disclosure review and categorisation of technical documents, prepare witness statement bundles, and conduct research for skeleton arguments. They would also help coordinate cross-border legal opinion requests where the dispute involves IP rights registered in multiple jurisdictions.
Interview prep
Question you might get
“What are the structural differences between how US law firms and traditional English law firms staff IP litigation, and how is that changing?”
Sign up free to see the full answer
A model answer you can lift into an interview — how to frame this story for a partner.
Sign up freeMy notes
saved