Allen & Overy has expanded its Australian operations with the significant addition of one of Australia’s market-leading U.S. securities law practices from U.S. firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. More >>

Global law firm Clyde & Co is pleased to announce the appointment of five partners from Lee & Lyons to the partnership. Partners David Lee, Lucinda Lyons, David Amentas, Michelle Dunne and Christopher Smith will join the firm in February 2016, based in Sydney. The new partners will be supported by more than 25 lawyers and work closely with a number of Clyde & Co’s existing lawyers.

Australian Managing Partner John Edmond said of the appointments: “At Clyde & Co our strategy is to be the pre-eminent global law firm in our core sectors and insurance is at our heart. These appointments will allow us to increase significantly our capability in general liability and further expand our professional liability claims work. Our clients have made it clear that this is what they want from us to serve their needs better and we are responding. We will also add to our existing well regarded financial lines and D&O practice.

David Lee and Lucinda Lyons founded Lee & Lyons in 2002. Both have extensive experience across all major lines of insurance including financial lines, professional indemnity, public and products liability, property and statutory classes.

“David and Lucinda have built a brand synonymous with quality legal advice within the insurance market place in Australia and we are pleased that they are joining our firm to continue their work on a national and international platform,” said John. “Around the world Clyde & Co offers our insurance clients a full service capability at appropriate industry rates, and thanks to the addition of this high calibre, highly respected team we will now be able to offer that same service in Australia.”

David said of the move to Clyde & Co: “Our clients here and overseas have been telling us that national and international reach of a high and consistent quality is critical to their business and we believe that by joining Clyde & Co we will be fulfilling this requirement. Lucinda and I are pleased to be bringing our team into a firm that we know will respect and be committed to our existing client base and allow us to offer them a global network of legal expertise at competitive rates. We have spent a lot of time understanding the culture at Clyde & Co and we really like what we see.”

Clyde & Co Senior Partner James Burns said: “Australia is an increasingly important market for our clients and one in which we are seeing significant and rapid growth. We are committed to providing our clients with the leading insurance capability in Australia and the Asia Pacific region and this expansion is in line with that ambition. We look forward to welcoming the team to the firm in early 2016.”

David Amentas has practised in insurance law for more than 17 years and has extensive experience across professional indemnity and liability insurance, developing a sensible, commercial and practical approach to claims. His experience includes acting in professional indemnity, D&O, employment practices and liability matters.

Michelle Dunne has experience in a broad range of insurance matters including public liability, medical malpractice, product liability and dust diseases litigation. Michelle’s experience in acting for corporate and government agencies and commercial enterprises, provides her with an understanding of fundamental issues concerning those bodies such as resources, media sensitivity, risk assessment strategies and policy considerations. This understanding enables her to provide clients with appropriate strategies to better manage litigation, should it arise.

Christopher (Chris) Smith has acted for financial lines insurers for more than 16 years, principally in the areas of D&O and professional indemnity insurance. Chris provides coverage advice to insurers in claims against directors and officers and professional negligence claims and acts as monitoring counsel in large and complex litigation. Chris also has extensive experience defending litigated claims brought against a range of professionals.

In early 2016 Clyde & Co will also welcome insurance partner Marcus O’Brien in Melbourne, who joins from Norton Rose Fulbright. Marcus has extensive experience in insurance law and commercial litigation. His clients include major Australian insurers, London market underwriters, and corporations.

Clyde & Co launched in Australia in late 2012 with four partners in Sydney and Perth. Since then the firm has grown to four offices and 13 partners as of May 2015. By March 2016, Clyde & Co in Australia will be 19 partners and approximately 100 legal staff with a total staff count of around 160. From the transition date, Lee & Lyons will cease to trade.

Global law firm K&L Gates has added Diane Skapinker as a real estate partner in its Sydney office. She joins K&L Gates from Gilbert + Tobin.

Skapinker focuses her practice on property developments, strata and community titling, acquisitions, disposals, and leasing. She regularly advises on the property aspects of telecommunications and infrastructure projects.

Skapinker commented: “There is considerable change in Australia’s real estate market, most notably in increasing investor demand from Asia. Australia’s property market is more closely connected with foreign markets than ever before and it makes sense to offer my clients a globally integrated platform that can service their legal needs wherever they do business.”

“A leading authority in property law and former Associate Professor of Property Law at Sydney University, Diane is highly regarded in the marketplace,” stated Nick Nichola, K&L Gates’ Managing Partner, Australia. “Her appointment further strengthens our real estate practice and we are excited to welcome Diane to the partnership.”

Skapinker is joined in her move by special counsel Vicki Aron. Their arrival follows the recent additions of Sydney partner Naomi Pearce in the firm’s intellectual property practice and Brisbane corporate and transactional partner Jeremy Prentice.

Global law firm DLA Piper has appointed one of Australia’s leading M&A lawyers, James Philips, as a partner today, Tuesday 4 August 2015. James joins the firm from Minter Ellison, where he was Co-Head of M&A. More >>

Leading independent business law firm, Hall & Wilcox, will be taking on a significant insurance practice from Sparke Helmore.

The team is led by Sparke Helmore national insurance leader Rhett Slocombe, and includes Grant Galvin, Simon Morgan, Daniel Stoddart, Nicholas Studdert and Joanna Turnbull, all of whom will be joining Hall & Wilcox as partners. The team is based in Sydney and Newcastle. More >>