Hamilton Locke adds new financial services partner
BigLaw firm Hamilton Locke has brought former KPMG financial services specialist Samantha Shields (pictured) to its Sydney office to join the funds and financial services team.
The firm said in a statement: “Hamilton Locke is pleased to welcome Samantha Shields as our newest partner. Samantha joins our funds and financial services team in Sydney, further expanding the firm’s capability in financial services regulation.”
Shields has previously worked as a partner at KPMG Australia and a special counsel at Baker & McKenzie.
It continued: “Samantha is a financial services lawyer with over two decades’ experience, specialising in banking, financial markets and trading, payments and digital assets.”
Hamilton Locke managing partner Nick Humphrey said: “Samantha is highly regarded for her expertise, reputation and client-focused approach.”
The firm added: “She supports financial institutions (banks, funds, payment providers, brokers) and fintechs in navigating complex legal and regulatory issues across licensing, banking, investment products, derivatives, funds and financial markets.”
This news followed the firm’s addition of new property partner Emile McPhee in June, estate planning partner Jamie Blair in February, and the addition of five new partners in the same month, as reported by Lawyers Weekly.
“Samantha’s appointment brings Hamilton Locke’s partner numbers to 69 across Australia and New Zealand, including six in our market-leading funds and financial services team,” it said.
The firm also named Brit Ibanez as its new deputy managing partner in May, who began working closely with managing partner Nick Humphrey to support the growth of the firm and parent company HPX group.
The firm said: “Samantha has built a reputation for providing clear, actionable advice to decision-makers within her clients’ organisations, often involving highly technical legal issues. She is also respected for her ability to lead multidisciplinary regulatory change and remediation projects.”
Humphrey said: “Financial services regulation is an area where clients need advisers who understand not only the legal and regulatory framework, but also what practical implementation looks like across the business. Samantha brings that balance, and we are delighted to welcome her to the firm.”