Lawyers Weekly understands that Banton, a dispute resolution specialist, is the highest earner in the national firm’s Sydney office and is one of the highest billing partners in the Sydney private practice market.

At Pipers, Banton was a non-equity partner but was able to command a salary of $3 million-plus.

She is the only litigation lawyer in Australia to successfully act against Standard & Poors in respect of the AAA rating of certain financial products.

“We are very pleased to welcome Amanda and her team to our firm,” said Squires managing partner John Poulsen when contacted by Lawyers Weekly. "Amanda is known among her peers as a strategic thinker, a true leader and a lawyer of choice for complex litigation and insolvency recovery matters,” Poulsen said.

Banton will be an equity partner at Squires.

Her defection is the latest in a string of high-profile partner losses for Pipers.

Frazer Hunt, a partner at Pipers for 11 years and the firm’s Sydney head, left the firm last month to join Mills Oakley.

Also in November, Richard Chew left the firm to join Sparke Helmore.

Tony Britten-Jones is due to commence his term as Pipers managing partner in January next year.

Britten-Jones will be relocating from Adelaide to Melbourne to assume the head role. He replaces Tony Phelps.

Lawyers Weekly contacted Banton for comment but she had not responded by press time.