Partner David Cross has left Allens Arthur Robinson for Deacons, joining that firm’s national workplace relations team, and will be based in Sydney. Members of his team from Allens will also be joining him. Cross specialises in dispute resolution, compliance training and crisis management in employment and industrial relations law, anti-discrimination law and occupational health and safety law. In making the announcement on 19 April, Don Boyd, chief executive partner, commented: “Cross’ appointment cements the group as one of the leading specialist workplace relations practices in the country.”

Springvale Monash Legal Service has a new director. Helen Yandell took up her appointment last month, joining Monash University after four years working for the Western Suburbs Legal Service and a long career in education. Yardell’s work with disadvantaged people in the community sector eventually led to her decision to study law. “Being able to combine teaching with legal practice here at the Springvale Monash Legal Service (SMLS) seemed like a great opportunity to merge my passions and expertise,” she said. At SMLS, which has been operated by Monash’s Law School since the early seventies, law students and graduates provide legal advice and run files under the supervision of qualified solicitors. Free legal advice is offered to those unable to afford private legal assistance or who cannot access the system because of a language barrier or other disadvantage.

The District Court of New South Wales has appointed Law Society of New South Wales president elect Peter Johnstone as a judge of the court. Johnstone was admitted as a solicitor on 9 February 1973 and joined law firm Blake Dawson Waldron where he has been a partner for 28 years. Law Society President June McPhie said the announcement had been warmly received by the solicitors of New South Wales and by the profession as a whole. “[Johnstone] has served on the Law Society Council for over five years and has contributed significantly to the profession and broader community,” she said.

Trans-Tasman lawyers Duncan Cotterill have appointed Alan Prasad to their Sydney office. Prasad is an experienced corporate and commercial solicitor and will continue to specialise in that sector; in particular in mergers and acquisitions, franchising, employment law and privacy. Prasad previously worked for a banking firm in Fiji as an associate solicitor and in general law practices in Victoria and Canberra. He is fluent in Indo-Fijian and Hindi.