One of the big winners in this year's talent war was national firm Middletons, which made numerous appointments to significantly expand its booming workplace relations & safety group.

The additions to the practice group across the country means the firm now boasts one of the largest workplace relations and safety practices, by number of lawyers, in Australia.

Amongst those poached by the firm is former Hall & Wilcox lawyer Penny Stevens, a well-known occupational health and safety lawyer in Victoria. Stevens took up the position of partner at Middletons in September and was followed by her team, including special counsel Nicole Fauvrelle, senior associate Kim Grady and lawyer Sam Jackson.

Twenty-five year industrial relations veteran Bryan Belling, formerly of HWL Ebsworth, also arrived at the firm in September after having been involved in a number of defining cases in both the Federal and State industrial relations systems.

In August, Middletons then moved to appoint fellow HWL Ebsworth defectors Seamus Burke and Alice DeBoos as new partners.

Three months prior, Middletons attracted Duncan Fletcher, formerly of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, and late last year Herbert Geer's Kathy Dalton also joined the firm.

The string of appointments means that Middletons' workplace group now boasts nine partners and more than 40 staff across the country.

Gerard Phillips, head of Middletons' Workplace Relations & Safety Group, said attracting the right people has been a long process.

"It has taken years. You try and recruit any lawyer … they are very conservative, their careers are dreadfully important to them because they all put so much time into it," he said.

"It's not only a matter of whether they think their practice will complement what we have here or that they'll be a good fit. They want somewhere that will be pleasant and supportive to work in and that has been something of heightened concern for us: to make sure it's a place where people love coming to work each day."

And although Phillips says the practice group has now reached critical mass, there are more plans for expansion, should the right people consider jumping on board.

"There are still practitioners around [who want to join the firm]," he said.

"I am having a lot of people contact me at the moment. In our space, a top quality practitioner I would take any day of the week."

Related stories:

>> Sept 13, 2010: Middletons poaches Hall & Wilcox team

>> Aug 24, 2010: HWL Ebsworth partners join Middletons

>> Aug 4, 2010: Firms respond to demand in the west

>> April 28, 2010: Middletons builds Perth practice

>> Oct 12, 2009: Middletons lures Herbert Geer team

Click on the images below to read more about the top Movers & Shakers in 2010:

>> Click here for full coverage of the 2010 Movers & Shakers list