John Hatzistergos served as Attorney General from 2007 to 2011, but his political career spanned more than a decade and included senior appointments at ministerial and parliamentary committee levels.

Hatzistergos drove many reforms of the NSW legal environment, including establishing Australia's first international dispute resolution centre and securing compensation for asbestos victims, his new firm said. 

"[His] knowledge of government, large agencies and universities, and the issues they face, will provide valuable insight for our clients," said Phillip Salem, Sparke Helmore chairman.

Hatzistergos is excited about rejoining the private sector, he said. 

"Having worked in senior roles in government and as a barrister and solicitor, I'm looking forward to drawing on that wide range of experience as part of the strong government practice at Sparke Helmore."

Hatzistergos was a member of the NSW Legislative Council for 12 years and, in addition to his role as Attorney General, held ministerial positions in the portfolios of Citizenship, Regulatory Reform, Industrial Relations, Education, Justice, Health, Fair Trading and Commerce. 

He was also the Chair of the Joint Committee on the ICAC Committee, Deputy Chair of the Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 3, and a member of the Joint Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and Police Integrity Commission and the Legislative Council - Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

Before being elected as a State Member, John was a barrister, a councillor at Canterbury City Council, a District Court Arbitrator, a senior legal officer at the Commonwealth DPP and a solicitor. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney and at the University of Technology, Sydney. 

Hatzistergos also lectures in constitutional law at the University of Technology, Sydney.