Middletons has appointed three new solicitors, Emma Miller, Mark Chivers and David Zimmerman. Miller has joined the commercial litigation group. She was previously at Allens Arthur Robinson. Chivers has joined the expanding capital markets team within the corporate & commercial group. Zimmerman has been appointed to the innovations group, where he will practise in information technology and intellectual property law.

Robin Banks will start work in her new role as director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre next month. She was formerly a senior associate at Henry Davis York, specialising in employment and discrimination law. Present PIAC director Andrea Durbach will take up a cross-appointment of associate professor in the University of NSW School of Law.

Baker & McKenzie has welcomed to its partnership team Kate Munnings, leading construction lawyer and former partner of Corrs Chambers Westgarth. She brings with her from Corrs Tina Whyoon, who will join Baker & McKenzie’s construction group as an associate.

David Lloyd has been promoted to partner of Yeldham & Associates, having joined the firm in March 2000 after working at Minter Ellison. Yeldham & Associates has also appointed Colleen Wood as a solicitor practising in insurance litigation. She previously worked as a paralegal for Clifford Chance Solicitors and Herbert Smith Solicitors in London.

Piper Alderman has appointed financial services and taxation partner Andrew Pavuk. He will be based in Piper Alderman’s Sydney office and brings with him senior associate Damien Henneken and associate Craig Yeung. Pavuk has worked in the superannuation, funds management and distribution industry for more than 17 years. The firm has also appointed David McLaughlin to head up its employment relations practice in Victoria. McLaughlin has more than 20 years experience in industrial and employment relations working for major law firms and employer organisations.

Holding Redlich has appointed Michael Linehan as a partner to lead the firm’s corporate advisory practice group in Melbourne. Linehan has spent the last decade with Clayton Utz where Holding Redlich said he had worked on many complex and large-scale mergers and acquisitions.