Mr Hill joined Olswang in his current role in 2013, heading up the patent prosecution unit alongside London IP partner Robert Stephen. Mr Stephen will now lead the unit alone as Mr Hill departs to join global megafirm Dentons as a partner and head of its European patent prosecution and opposition practice. He is the second IP partner to leave Olswang since news broke of the firm’s planned tie-up with CMS Cameron McKenna and Nabarro, which is due to go live in 1 May. London-based IP partner and life sciences co-head Stephen Reese left the firm to join Clifford chance at the beginning of October.

Meeting demand

Mr Hill is described in the Legal 500 as ‘one of the preeminent patent prosecution attorneys in the EU. Dentons UK managing partner Brandon Ransley said of the hire: ‘Clients from the US and Asia increasingly require patent advice in Europe, and Justin’s arrival enhances our capacity to meet this demand, while also representing a further step towards achieving our objective of building a leading global patent capability.’ Mr Hill’s start date with Dentons is yet to be confirmed.

Sources: Legal Business; Legal Week