“We’re very pleased that Joel has joined the partnership and his promotion is part of our firm’s commitment to recognise, reward and retain high-performing staff,” said Jesse Webb, Sparke’s national managing partner.

Sheldrick has represented insurers and employers in the areas of statutory classes and liability for more than 10 years. He has substantial claims experience and has successfully defended liability and statutory class actions across a range of industries, including medical, retail, manufacturing, mining and construction.

Rhett Slocombe, who leads Sparke’s national insurance practice group, said: “Joel’s well-deserved promotion adds to the recent promotions and new hires in the insurance group across our Sydney, Perth and Brisbane offices. Joel will also lead our workers’ compensation team in the Perth office from March 2013.”

Sheldrick’s promotion follows the recent appointment of Yvette McLaughlin as a partner in the insurance group in the firm’s Brisbane office, and recent promotions to partner of Nicholas Studdert, Maxine Tills and Mark Doepel in the insurance group and Roland Hassall in the workplace group.