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Gilbert + Tobin has taken the head of the Perth-based mining group at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Gilbert + Tobin has taken the head of the Perth-based mining group at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Justin Little (pictured) will join the G+T’s Perth office after 15 years as a partner at HSF. His experience in the energy & resources sector includes advising clients on commercial and resources transactions across the mining and oil & gas industries.
“I am delighted that a lawyer of Justin’s calibre and ambition is joining our firm,” said Blakiston.
Little’s appointment coincides with the announcement that patent litigator John Lee will join G+T’s IP practice as a partner in early 2014.
Talent leaving
Justin Little is the latest high-profile defection from the newly-merged firm in Australia.
In December, competition partner Peter McDonald left the firm and joined global rival A&O.
Four employment partners also left HSF in June after being poached by US-based global Seyfarth Shaw, and insurance heavyweights Michael Mills and Michelle Fox gave up their roles as co-heads of HSF’s product liability practice in Sydney to join Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in May.
Shortly afterwards, in September 2013, Kate Jenkins, the high-profile and well-regarded head of the HSF’s Australian discrimination and equal opportunity practice, left the firm to take up a position as Victoria’s new Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner.
HSF confirmed to Lawyers Weekly last month (12 December) that a new performance-based component for Australian partners in the firm’s remuneration system is an attempt to retain its top performers.
