Phil Breden will join the mergers and acquisitions team at Blakes after 14 years at Gilbert & Tobin, where he led some major transactions across the energy, resources and industrials sectors. 

His experience includes advising Royal Dutch Shell on its $3.3 billion partial sell-down of its interest in Woodside Petroleum, advising AGL on several corporate initiatives including the merger of its infrastructure business with Alinta, and acting for Fletcher Building on its $780 million acquisition of Crane Group.

Head of Blake Dawson's corporate practice, Nick Terry said: "We are delighted to have secured someone of Phil's calibre to join what is one of the leading M&A practices in Australia and the region."

National head of Blake Dawson's M&A team, Marie McDonald said: "Having sat across the table from Phil on a number of occasions I know what an accomplished practitioner he is and I am very pleased that he is joining forces with us."