Morgan Lewis & Bockius has secured a deal to hire a raft of partners from respected IP specialist Pennie & Edmonds – despite the New York firm’s ongoing merger talks with US giant Jones Day.

The hires, finalised after a vote last Wednesday (3 December), initially see all six of Pennie’s Palo Alto partners, plus Washington DC veteran Victor Balancia and New York partner Scott Stimpson, join Morgan Lewis.