Brobeck Phleger & Harrison’s highly-rated San Diego IP team has split into two with local rival Pillsbury Winthrop and New York’s Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker fending off strong competition to secure lawyers from the practice.

The deal, finalised last week (21 February), saw the two firms beat the likes of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Morrison & Foerster, Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe and Dechert, which had all been pitching to take on the team.