(Reuters) – Entertainment trial lawyer Grant Maxwell has joined McKool Smith as a principal in Los Angeles, after departing from McDermott Will & Emery, his new firm announced Monday.

Maxwell, who spent almost seven years at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan before moving over to McDermott, advises entertainment clients on general business and complex litigation.

His hire follows that of a former colleague, veteran entertainment litigator Jeffery McFarland, who similarly joined McKool Smith’s Los Angeles office last month from McDermott, and also worked at Quinn Emanuel previously.

Maxwell said he is looking forward to representing more plaintiffs at McKool Smith, instead of focusing on defense, which he said made up the majority of cases at McDermott.

He said that McKool Smith’s litigation track record and the chance to jump from associate to principal were major reasons for his move and said the opportunity to grow his practice at McKool was something that an attorney at his level couldn’t pass up.

Texas-based McKool Smith has about 120 attorneys working out of seven offices around the country, with several locations in the Lone Star State.

Maxwell will be reunited with McFarland, with whom he’s worked before on litigation. They were both on a team at McDermott representing fast fashion brand Honeybum in an antitrust case against retailer Fashion Nova.

That case has moved over to McKool Smith with the lawyers, Maxwell said.

Maxwell declined to comment on whether more McDermott attorneys could be making the leap to the firm, but said he’s “excited about growing the Los Angeles office” for McKool Smith.

A representative for McDermott did not immediately return requests for comment.

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Reporting by Chinekwu Osakwe