Latham Suffers Latest Departure as Skadden Swoops for London IP Head

Latham & Watkins has lost its London intellectual property head to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as the revolving door in the market continues to spin.

The departure of James Nurton, who left to join Skadden as a partner at the beginning of August, follows the exit of London finance partner Christopher Field to another US firm, Shearman & Sterling, in May. Nurton, who joined Latham as a partner in 2015 from Bristows, has experience advising clients in the pharmaceutical, technology, and media sectors on patent litigation and other IP matters.

In a statement, Skadden said Nurton’s arrival would boost its “market-leading IP capabilities” in the U.K. and Europe.

Nurton's move to Skadden highlights the competitive London IP market, with several other major international firms, including Kirkland & Ellis and Allen & Overy, recently bolstering their practices in the area.

The trend is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing importance of IP in the global economy, the rise of patent litigation, and the growing complexity of IP laws and regulations.

Firms are also looking to capitalize on the strong demand for IP services in London, which is a major hub for the technology and life sciences industries.

Nurton is the latest in a series of senior departures from Latham’s London office in recent years. In addition to Field, the firm has also lost corporate partners David Higgins to Shearman & Sterling and Michael Roberts to Kirkland & Ellis.

Latham declined to comment on Nurton's departure, but a source close to the firm said it was not concerned about the recent exits and remained committed to its London office.

The source said the firm had a strong track record of attracting and retaining top talent, and that it was confident it would continue to do so in the future.