Former Foley & Lardner senior counsel Yan Zhao has joined DLA Piper’s Greater China intellectual property team as partner. Yan has practiced IP law in China for over 13 years, with a focus on patent prosecution and litigation work. Although based in the firm’s Shanghai office, he is expected to visit DLA Piper’s Hong Kong office on a regular basis.

Yan is admitted to practice in both China and New York, and is also a patent attorney in China and Singapore.

Yan’s appointment is expected to be the first of many for DLA Piper’s IP group in Greater China as the firm looks to rebuild after the departures of some high-profile IP lawyers. Last year, for example, the firm saw Hong Kong-based duo Justin Davidson and Gigi Cheah depart for Norton Rose to head up the firm’s Asia IP & TMT group.  Matthew Glynn, partner and head of IPT for DLA Piper in Asia, said: “over the coming months we are hoping to be able to make additional announcements about the further strengthening of our IP offering in China.”