Tonight (19 August) Greene was elected as the firm’s new head in a contested ballot that also included Jason Opperman, the banking, insolvency and restructuring group head and Roger Dobson, the former national chair of the firm.

“Michael impressed the partnership with his passion for the potential within the firm, and his commitment to bringing this to the fore,” said the firm’s acting chairman of the Board, Scott Atkins, in a statement.

Last week, Lawyers Weekly exclusively revealed that Atkins had stepped into the Chair’s role after Dobson had resigned to seek election as managing partner.

Greene is the head of the firm’s Government Sector Practice.

In November 2012 he was elected to the firm’s Board and has also served as the head of HDY’s Commercial Disputes Group.

He has been at HDY for 21 years and his clients include the New South Wales Police Force, Sydney Ports Corporation, Panasonic, Macquarie Bank and KPMG.

“HDY is part of who I am, and I am excited about the possibilities for all of us that lie ahead,” he said in a statement.

Greene’s term is for three years and begins on 1 January 2015.

He replaces Sharon Cook, who Lawyers Weekly exclusively revealed was standing down as HDY’s managing partner in April.

Cook has been the firm’s head since 2008.

Lawyers Weekly has requested an interview with Michael Greene this week