Rachel Paris has returned to New Zealand law firm Bell Gully as a senior associate after four years working and studying in the US and UK. Rachel left Bell Gully’s banking and finance team to do an LLM at Harvard Law School, where she focused on international finance and media, and entertainment law. After graduating from Harvard in 2003, Rachel worked with London law firm Allen & Overy and Olswang, the UK’s leading technology and media law firm. Rachel is based in Bell Gully’s Auckland office, where she will advise on banking and finance matters.

Subsequent to a merger between MacDonnells Solicitors, O'Mara's Lawyers and Suthers Taylor Lawyers, the resultant firm MacDonnells Law, now the fourth largest independent law firm in Queensland, acquired nine new lawyers. Partner Paul Heffernan now heads the firm’s insurance team. An accredited personal injuries specialist, Heffernan has more than 20 years experience in insurance law and personal injury litigation, especially workplace injuries. Partner Barry Taylor heads MacDonnells’ planning and environment team. He is a commentator on many matters relating to development across Queensland, and is director of Townsville Enterprise and Deputy Chair of Ergon Energy. Michael Keir was appointed as a partner to the firm’s commercial team. Keir practises in the areas of commercial and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, rural law and property development. Steven Mosch is a partner in the commercial litigation team. He has experience in all aspects of commercial dispute resolution, as well as discrimination and employment law. Partner Kevin Barrett joins MacDonnells in the insurance team. He has been practising in the area of insurance and personal injury law since 1992 and is an accredited personal injuries specialist. Partner Moya Steele comes to MacDonnells as part of the planning and environment team. She has extensive experience in planning and environmental law, development and project management throughout Queensland. Connie Navarro comes as a senior associate to MacDonnells’ commercial practice. She advises clients in relation to compulsory acquisitions and resumptions, body corporate and community management issues, administrative law, finance and securities and intellectual property. Associate Nicole Lythall joins the insurance team. She is experienced in WorkCover common law matters under the various legislative regimes. Associate Rosaline Miller joins MacDonnells’ litigation team. She practices predominantly in personal injuries litigation.

Correction: Last week Lawyers Weekly mistakenly ran a photograph of William Buck Adelaide’s outgoing managing director Dennis Laundy under the caption Jamie McKeough. McKeough is the incoming managing director of the firm.