Morrison & Foerster is merging with San Francisco-born litigation boutique Durie Tangri, the firms announced on Wednesday, in a move that reinforces Morrison & Foerster’s rapidly growing litigation and intellectual property practices.

The merger, effective Jan. 1, is the latest in a series of recent combinations between Am Law 200 firms and boutiques, several of which have been focused on growing countercyclical practices in areas such as finance, bankruptcy and litigation.