"I've been watching M+K evolve. Its growth, commitment to the middle market and strong manufacturing clientele attracted me to the firm,” said Chandler.

Prior to joining M+K, Chandler was a special counsel in Mills Oakley’s patents and designs group.

Chandler’s expertise includes patent infringement and validity advice; preparing, filing and prosecuting patent trade mark and design applications in Australia and internationally; patent and trade mark oppositions; conducting IP due diligence and audits; and advising clients on appropriate strategies for managing people and protecting their IP.

"In this current economic landscape, the focus for many businesses is to maintain and protect assets and ensure they are in good stead when the economy prospers,” said Chandler.

“People do not stop inventing. In this climate, people have more time and investment in research for new products, and service development generally increases.”

James Sturgess, the managing director of M+K in Victoria, said “recruiting a trade marks and patent attorney is a first for M+K”.

“Historically, we've outsourced this service. We are seeing increased activity of our clients in requiring legal services to create efficiencies and protecting their assets," he said.

The appointment of Chandler takes the M+K commercial services group to 37 lawyers nationally, including 12 principals.