Making it in the new partner rankings thisyear are Adam Fuller and Adam Howell from within the banking and financial services group, Stephen Hume from within the corporate recovery and insolvency team under the commercial litigation group, and Chris Round from within the intellectual property team.

Fuller and Howell hit the legal news headlines in April 2008 when they took part in a mass walk out from law firm Sparke Helmore.

At the time, Sparke lost the founding member of its banking and finance practice, Ben Burney, to competitor Middletons, who left the door swinging for several other senior members of the team and support staff, who also joined Middletons.

As well as senior associates Howell and Fuller, lawyer Maggie McGushin and paralegal Kylie Hayton moved across from Sparke to Middletons. Lawyers Anthony Tesvic also departed in 2008, joining Blake Dawson.

But the move has now paid off inpartnership, from 1 July, and Fuller will now act for debt providers as well as those raising finance on a range of domestic and cross border financings. Howell, meanwhile, advises lenders and listed and unlisted borrowers on domestic and cross border financing transactions.

The other new partners include Hume, whothe firm said has expertise in banking litigation, securities enforcement, and corporate and personal insolvency related litigation. Round, meanwhile, has expertise in the registration of intellectual property rights and associated litigation.

In the non-partner ranks, Stuart Newell will be appointed special counsel from within the commercial litigation group.

Nine senior associates will be promoted from within the commercial litigation and corporate and commercial groups.

Middletons' national managing partner, Nick Nichola, said the new appointments symbolise the firm's growth over the past 12 months.

“It is true the legal market has been challenging and will continue to be so, however so long as we remain committed to delivering the best service imaginable based on quality and value, we will continue to do well,” he said.

The new senior associates include Savannah Hardingham, Gautam Mukherji and Adele Sutton from commercial litigation, and Tamara Cardan, Brendon Fong, Nina Hourigan, Louise McAuliffe, Renee Thomlinson and Catherine Valle from corporate and commercial.