The firm confirmed this afternoon that Dr Wolfgang Hellmann has departed Blake Dawson’s Sydney office after 10 years at that firm. He joins JWS as a special counsel.

The lawyer relocated to Australia in 2000, having practiced European and German competition law for more than five years in Dusseldorf and Brussels. AT Blakes he focused on domestic and global merger control and cartel law.

Hellmann, who obtained ACCC approval for high profile merger and acquisition proposals, has represented domestic and international clients in major price fixing investigations and secured immunity from the ACCC for clients in several global cartel cases.

John Kench, senior competition partner in Sydney said of the new appointment: "We are excited that [Hellmann] has joined our growing team of competition specialists. His outstanding expertise in merger control

and cartel law enforcement will enhance the breadth and depth of our capability in these key areas of competition law."

Hellmann said: "JWS is a leading firm in the area of competition law with an excellent reputation in Australia as well as overseas. The firm will provide me with an ideal platform to further develop my competition law practice, focusing on assisting international clients in obtaining merger clearance and managing cartel investigations and immunity applications.”