Industrial lawyer Fiona Inverarity, former head of industrial and employment law at PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal, will head the firm’s practice in this area. Inverarity, whose clients include industrial, gaming and technology companies, joins partner Shawn Skyring and lawyer Tamara Searle, who joined Truman Hoyle in July. Karen Bohm has also joined the team as an industrial lawyer, after time with a leading London firm.

Mark Vincent will head the firm’s technology and intellectual property practice. Vincent was previously managing director of Griffin Vincent Technology and Intellectual Property Lawyers. He will work with intellectual property specialist Robert Rudolf.

Truman Hoyle managing partner Shane Barber said Inverarity and Vincent were perfect fits for the firm. “Both are recognised as among Australia’s best practitioners in their chosen fields. Their appointments help us claim a place as a premium Australian boutique firm in our areas of specialty.”

Truman Hoyle practices in six related areas — corporate, communications, technology, energy, industrial, and infrastructure law. The firm has grown from two partners to 20 in three years and won Australian Law Firm of the Year (50 lawyers or less) at the 2005 Australian Law Awards.

Barber credits its success to the clear vision of what if offers partners, staff and clients. “We have set out to be a leading boutique law firm. We do not want to be big or even middle sized, multi-officed or generalist,” he said.