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Pinsent Masons launches Australian WHS practice with team from Sparke Helmore
Global law firm Pinsent Masons has continued to expand its multi-service offering, adding a WHS team from a BigLaw rival, months after unveiling new practices for restructuring and insolvency as well as employment and reward.
Jerome Doraisamy
Pinsent Masons has added another service to its Australian operations, launching a dedicated work health and safety (WHS) practice with the appointment of partner Carlie Holt, senior associate Georgina Dodd, and associate Laura Slocombe.
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The team commenced at Pinsent Masons yesterday (Monday, 19 February), and came across from BigLaw rival Sparke Helmore, where Ms Holt had served as a partner for over two decades.
Speaking about her team’s move to the global player, Ms Holt said it was an “excellent opportunity” to work with a growing risk advisory team.
“Pinsent Masons is focused on deepening the services it provides [to] its clients across the Asia-Pacific region and adding a dedicated WHS practice, especially for clients working in our key sector focus areas of energy and infrastructure, is vital to attaining that goal,” she outlined.
“I am looking forward to working closely with our Risk Advisory Services group and our employment and rewards practice team to provide a full legal service focused on helping our clients navigate the increasingly complex rules and regulations overseeing the management of Australian workplaces.”
The news followed the firm’s launching of a restructuring and insolvency practice with a team from Gilchrist Connell in December, as well as an employment and reward practice in August, after nabbing two partners and two special counsel from Lander & Rogers and a partner and associate from Holding Redlich.
It also followed the firm’s “record year of revenue growth” in the financial year 2023, its addition of multiple partners across the course of 2023, and its appointment of a new head of Melbourne last February, which meant the firm had an all-female leadership team in its Australian offices.
The addition of Ms Holt and her team, Pinsent Masons head of Australia Matthew Croagh proclaimed, will play an important role in the firm’s risk assessment and management practice.
“We are seeing a significant change in workplace and industrial relations laws in Australia, which means we need to work alongside our clients on complying with what is an increasingly complex regulatory environment,” he explained.
“Carlie and her team will work closely with our Risk Advisory Services group and our employment and rewards team to provide an outstanding risk assessment and management service.”
Speaking to Lawyers Weekly, Sparke Helmore national managing partner Andrew White said: “Carlie Holt spent 20 years with Sparke Helmore. During that time, she made a great contribution to the firm, and we wish her all the best.”
