Joel Smith will join Hogan Lovells as a partner in its intellectual property, media and technology (IPMT) practice, based in its London office. Smith will join Hogan Lovells from Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was head of IP in London and a key player in the global IP team.

He specializes in trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation. He is also heavily involved in IP transactions and IP commercial deals, particularly complex collaboration, brand licensing and technology transfer arrangements. He has nearly 25 years of relevant experience, including working internationally in Hong Kong, Milan and Sydney.

Smith’s appointment is the latest in a series of strategic promotions and hires for the IPMT practice. In 2019, the firm hired six prominent IP partners in New York, Boston and San Francisco, and it appointed Samantha Brinkhuis as a partner in Amsterdam. Three of the firm’s 2020 partner promotions were in the IPMT practice.

Burkhart Goebel, managing partner of the IPMT practice at Hogan Lovells, said: “I am delighted to welcome Joel to our IPMT practice. Joel’s appointment will enable us to further serve our existing clients facing IP disputes in the important UK market and will further expand our IP transactional practice in the context of a growing number of deals with a focus on digital and other IP assets.”