Both men will be based in the corporate team of the firm’s Sydney office.

Champion’s focus is on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures and streamlinings, joint ventures, capital raisings, shareholder arrangements and corporate governance. He advises on all aspects of the Corporations Act and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange.

Richards advises directors on their obligations, potential personal liability and the options available to corporations in pre-insolvency situations. He also counsels lenders and corporations in their dealings with financially distressed companies, as well as insolvency practitioners generally. Richards focuses on formal and informal workouts, restructuring and security arrangements.

Managing partner Gordon Grieve said Piper Alderman was delighted by the growth of the corporate team, whose clients include Beach Petroleum, Adelaide Bank and SKILLED Group.

Their appointments bring the firm’s national partnership to 53.