John Mitchell is a commercial litigation partner and has been appointed to head the firm’s commercial litigation practice in Sydney. Prior to joining Arnold Bloch Leibler, Mitchell was a partner with an international law firm practising in Sydney.

New partner Dany Merkel is a litigator with an emphasis on alternative dispute resolution. After graduating from the University of Melbourne Merkel joined Arnold Bloch Leibler’s corporate and commercial practice. In 1999, after completing a Masters of Law degree in Canada, she returned to the firm’s practice in Melbourne. Merkel returned from maternity leave in July, 2005 and has a two-year-old daughter.

New partner Nicole Gordon practises in taxation law, with a particular emphasis on income tax, capital gains tax, GST and employment-related tax issues, in the firm’s Melbourne office. Graduating in commerce in 1993 and law in 1995, Gordon was awarded a university medal in law. She joined Arnold Bloch Leibler as a senior associate in 2001.

Ben Mahoney is promoted to partner in the firm’s banking and finance practice in Melbourne. He joined Arnold Bloch Leibler from Monash University in 1998. In 2002 and 2003, Mahoney worked in the finance and capital markets group of Mourant du Feu & Jeune, a Jersey-based commercial law firm, specialising in international finance and commercial law.

Janet Belleli will be appointed to senior associate in the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution group in Melbourne. Formerly an in-house lawyer for the Transport Accident Commission, she joined Arnold Bloch Leibler in 2000. Belleli recently returned from maternity leave, and has a 15 month-old son.

Margot Clarkson is appointed to senior associate in the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice in Melbourne. Prior to joining Arnold Bloch Leibler in 2005, Clarkson completed a doctorate in law at the University of Cambridge and worked as a solicitor at Deacons and Allens Arthur Robinson.