Following the firm's partnership with Newhouse in a case for the rights of the survivors and relatives of the Christmas Island boat tragedy, Shine's executive director Steve Roche said formalising the relationship with Newhouse was a key step forward for the firm.

"This is a major coup for Shine as we continue to expand our practice base and ensure we have the best team available to defend the rights of vulnerable clients," said Roche.

This year, Shine funded the legal team comprising lawyer Claire O'Connor, Newhouse, and its own lawyers, to represent survivors and next-of-kin of those involved in the tragedy at Christmas Island in December 2010.

"I've always had a good working relationship with Shine, collaborating on a range of cases over the years. I like the fact that they don't shy away from tough cases" said Newhouse, who is well-known for his human rights work with refugees, Indigenous Australians and former immigration detainees in Australia.

"This agreement is the culmination of a number of successful projects and helps consolidate the collective decades of experience Shine and I share," said Newhouse. "I look forward to bringing a different perspective to the job and working to deliver on Shine's promise to fight for the underdog."

After being admitted as a lawyer in 1985, Newhouse worked as a corporate finance executive for JPMorgan in Sydney and later in the firm's Treasury Planning and Development group in New York. He then moved to London to work as a capital markets lawyer for Clifford Chance.

Newhouse is also a former mayor of Waverly and was the Labor candidate against Malcolm Turnbull for the seat of Wentworth in the 2007 federal election.