Tobin is a resources and infrastructure specialist, and has acted for clients including Aurizon Operations (formerly QR National), Macquarie Generation and Ashton Coal Operations.

“Joining Nexus has given me the opportunity to enjoy the benefits that come with operating as a sole practitioner, working when, where and how I want,” he said.

Tobin left McCullough Robertson in June and worked for himself last month prior to joining Nexus.

He was a partner at McCullough Robertson for over five years, and also has prior experience at Sparke Helmore and Henry Davis York.

Nexus was launched in 2011 by Marcus McCarthy and is an “open law firm”.

The firm’s head office is in Sydney, with additional offices in Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane. Operating as a dispersed model, Nexus allows sole practitioners, specialist lawyers and in-house counselncil to call on the network’s lawyers to access the right skills and experience in any situation.

The firm has also announced that Michael Morrisey has been promoted to partner.

Tobin is the latest in a string of partner defections from McCullough Robertson.

In March, Tim Sayer and Oliver Talbot left McCullough Robertson’s Brisbane and Sydney office respectively and launched their own boutique firm.

In April, the highly regarded young partner Matthew Burgess left the firm’s Brisbane office and launched his own specialist law firm View Legal. His former McCullough Robertson colleagues, senior associates Patrick Ellwood and Tara Lucke, also joined him.

In June, McCullough Robertson poached Adrian Smith from DLA Piper to replace Talbot in Sydney and also lured across Henry Davis York partner Justin Madden.