The market for IP lawyers is still hot, but where they are practicing may be changing. Larger, general practice firms have been picking off IP attorneys via mergers, but also a la carte, including a pair of recent hires by Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.

Akin this month added IP attorneys Andrew Holtman and Brandon Rash to its Washington, D.C., office from IP boutique Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, in the latest instance of IP lawyers leaving boutiques for general practice firms.