Amanda Turnill, an internationally recognised life sciences and pharmaceutical lawyer, will represent a significant addition to the firm's life sciences capability in the ASia Pacific region, the firm said. 

Russell Adams, Head of DLA Piper's Litigation and Regulatory practice in Australia, said the appointment represents the law firm's ambitions to develop its client base in this sector.

The hire comes less than a month after DLA Piper Canberra lost six partners to HWL Ebsworth.

Turnill is now establishing a team of lawyers to support her new practice. 

She specialises in pharmaceutical regulation, the defence of product liability claims and group and class actions, and advising on product risk, insurance and safety issues. 

Turnill has handled a wide range of complex, high profile and sensitive litigious and regulatory matters for Australian, British, American, Japanese and other international corporate clients and insurers. 

She brings extensive commercial litigation, dispute resolution and regulatory experience gained during a 20-year career spanning Australia and the UK, the firm said in a statement.  

Prior to joining Clayton Utz, she was also a partner at Lovells (now Hogan Lovells) in London, having practised there for more than a decade.

Lisa Haile, Bruce W. Jenett, and Bonella Ramsay, co-chairs of DLA Piper's Global Life Sciences Sector, said, "The Life Sciences and Health Care sectors are key areas of focus for the firm in the Asia Pacific region and globally. These industries hold some of our largest international clients and represent critical strengths of the firm."

Alastair Da Costa, DLA Piper's managing director for Asia Pacific said: "We are delighted to welcome such an internationally renowned lawyer to our firm."