O’Melveny & Myers expanded its New York intellectual property practice Monday by adding a former White & Case partner. The hire of Marc Ackerman was part of a strategic push by O’Melveny to build out its national IP practice in certain areas, particularly New York and Washington, D.C., the firm said.

That push ran into hurdles earlier this year after a three-partner group in New York led by IP litigator Dale Cendali defected for Kirkland & Ellis in March.