The move, which is being touted by the firm as a merger, will see the merged entities known as Macpherson + Kelley Lawyers.

As part of the office overhaul, the firm announced the appointment of three new partners, including the “Peach” element of the merging firm, Greg Peach, who has been appointed the managing director of Macpherson+Kelley in Sydney.

The firm’s national managing director, Damian Paul, said Peach is very well qualified to take up the reigns, “having run an excellent operation in North Sydney for 20 years”, and for the past two years as the firm’s North Sydney managing principal.

Tony Gooch, previously a partner with Holman Webb, also joins the team as employment and industrial relations principal.

Gooch has more than 20 years experience in employment and industrial relations, and has represented clients in manufacturing, construction, financial services, retail and the property sectors.

His appointment takes the M+K employment and industrial relations team to 10 lawyers, including four accredited specialists nationally.

Joanne Lister, previously from Musgrave Lister Family Lawyers, has merged her practice with M+K and now heads the firms family law practice in Sydney.

The move happens less than a week after a Queensland-based law firm announced it would be merging two of its offices.

The Gold Coast office of Hynes Lawyers last week told its staff that the Gold Coast office would be amalgamating with its Brisbane counterpart. Brisbane, which currently has five partners, will have nine after the move, the firm told The New Lawyer.

Thirty Gold Coast Hynes Lawyers employees will be offered to transfer to the Brisbane office under the same conditions of employment from 23 December.

The firm has confirmed that virtually all senior Gold Coast staff will be physically relocating to Brisbane.

The firm rejects suggestions it's a cost cutting exercise, saying instead it places the firm in a position to head in the direction it wants to go.

“The amalgamation has come from the convergence of a number of factors, which were primarily led by the continued growth of the firm into a very specialised legal practice. Increased operational efficiencies through being run from the one office will only enhance the client experience and service,” a Frank Higginson, a partner at the firm, said.