Webb Henderson, the firm that labelled itself top-tier when it launched into the Sydney market in September 2009, has plans to open a London office, led by newly recruited partner Gordon Moir. 

Moir takes the firm to London, having formerly worked as general counsel of BT Retail and as BT group head of Antitrust and Regulatory Law. 

The new office will initially focus on strategic regulatory, commercial and corporate matters for clients in the telecommunications, media and technology sectors. 

"We aim to be one of the leading law firms in the world in these areas," the firm said in a statement. 

The firm said the new London office will be formally launched following completion of the Law Society's registration requirements. 

As well as a Sydney office the firm is based in Auckland, and it opened a Singapore office last year that will soon have five staff, the firm said. 

The firm's clients include Vodafone, SingTel, Qtel, du, Telkomsel and PCCW, as well as government-owned entities rolling out FTTH networks, such as NBN Co. It also specialises in regulators such as NTC Thailand and international agencies including the ITU and World Bank.

Webb Henderson came into existence in September 2009 with its co-founders keen to seize the opportunities then expected to emerge from the re-shaping of Telstra, as well as continuing their work in international markets.

Former Gilbert & Tobin partner Angus Henderson headed the Sydney office while former MGF Webb partner Malcolm Webb will lead the practice in Auckland.

Henderson said at the time that the firm would be fully integrated and was one of the few trans-Tasman partnerships in the legal field.

Speaking from Jakarta at the launch of the Sydney office, while working with Indonesia's largest telecommunications provider, Telkomsel, Henderson said the firm would focus on international and domestic communications. 

"We're legal and regulatory specialists so we advise both governments and regulatory operators on deregulation,'' he said.