The new Australian partners have been announced as Sarah Benbow (Melbourne), Malika Chandrasegaran (Sydney), Anna Creegan (Perth), Alison Dodd (Melbourne), Sian Newnham (Brisbane), Merryn Quayle (Sydney), Clare Smethurst (Brisbane) and Nikki Smythe (Sydney).

The promotions see Ms Benbow take to HSF’s competition regulation and trade practice; Ms Chandrasegaran and Ms Newnham to the firm’s corporate practice; Ms Creegan to the firm’s employment, industrial relations and safety practice; Ms Dodd to the firm’s projects practice; Ms Quayle and Ms Smethurst to the firm’s dispute resolution practice; and Ms Smythe to the firm’s finance practice.

HSF’s regional managing partner for Australia, Andrew Pike, congratulated the eight on their promotions.

“I am thrilled to welcome these eight Australian lawyers to the firm’s global partnership,” Mr Pike said.

“They are all exceptional, great with clients and passionate about the work they do. They have long been identified as future leaders of the firm.

“I want to congratulate each of them on achieving this impressive career milestone, and I look forward to the fresh perspectives that they will contribute to our firm’s culture and strategy.”

Mr Pike noted that the new partners are based across all of its Australian offices and are drawn from every practice group within the firm, furthering its commitment to a “long-term, strategic approach to leadership development”.

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“We appoint partners based on a range of rigorous criteria, including our clients’ needs and growth sectors for the firm as well as the broader markets in which we operate,” Mr Pike said.

“We invest heavily in our people, and the talented lawyers in our partnership pipeline are no exception.

“Throughout their careers, they are given significant leadership and professional development training to help them build the skills needed to be successful partners.”