Corporate partner Simon Davidson joins the Melbourne office, relocating from the firm's Dubai office, and corporate consultant Andrew Johnstone joins the firm from Holman, Fenwick & Willan,  and will be based in DLA Piper's Perth office. 

Davidson's primary expertise is equity capital markets. His experience encompasses public capital raisings (including global/institutional offers, IPOs, dual listings and private placements) across Australia, UK, North America and the Middle East. 

Davidson has experience in private equity and venture capital, acting for both institutional investors and investee companies. He also has experience in M&A, corporate restructuring, and life sciences and mining.

Originally from Melbourne, Davidson joined DLA Piper's Dubai office in 2008. Before that he worked for 12 years with Minter Ellison in Melbourne and two years at Eversheds in London.

Johnstone has to wait to be admitted in Western Australia before he can join the Perth partnership, until which point he will work as a consultant at the firm. 

The new recruit specialises in M&As, corporate finance and contracts, with a particular expertise in the oil and gas and transport sectors. He has advised on the structuring of investments in the UK, corporate restructuring and reorganisations, insolvency matters, international M&A transactions, joint ventures and shareholder agreements.

Johnstone recently advised one of the world's largest dredging companies in connection with a major Western Australian gas project.

He has been a consultant at Holman, Fenwick & Willan in the UK since 2004 and prior to that time was a partner at Stephenson Harwood (and formerly Sinclair Roche & Temperley) for six years. He was also an external consultant to DLA Piper in London.

Tony Holland, managing partner, Australia said the new lawyers are both highly experienced corporate lawyers and bring additional capabilities to our established teams in Melbourne and Perth.

"These latest senior additions follow other lateral partner hires in our very active Corporate team, most recently Warwick Painter in Sydney and Jim Holding in Brisbane," he said.