The move follows the transfer of all of Acuiti’s Sydney industrial relations and hospitality and gaming practice to the top ranks of Thomson Playford earlier this year. The additional four partners, three senior associates, two solicitors and associated administrative staff were to put Thompson Playford in good stead for expanding nationally, the firm’s chief executive Juliet Brown said.

Now, Theo Casimatis and Leon Sakaris will pick up their property law team and move to Sparke Helmore at the beginning of October. With this addition, Sparke Helmore national property practice leader Mark Hickey said the firm would have the scale and depth of expertise required to pursue some “exciting opportunities” in commercial property and development services.

Acknowledging it is “quite a big merger” for the practice, Hickey said the move gives them a significant presence in the Sydney market. “It really bulks up the national legal property team for the firm.”

The team from Acuiti joins Genevieve Overall — who moved from KPMG Legal in March this year — in the firm’s property practice. Overall established a property practice group in Melbourne, which is now said to be contributing strongly to the firm’s national property representation.

Hickey said the team were “head hunted by much bigger firms”, but Casimatis and Sakaris were impressed by Sparke Helmore’s strong culture and commitment to its clients and its people.

“We are a cohesive group committed to our clients and that’s the culture we have found at Sparke Helmore. Sparkes will also offer our clients full legal services nationally,” Sakaris and Casimatis said in a joint statement.

The team, including 11 specialist property lawyers, as well as Casimatis and Sakaris, will offer expertise in commercial property transactions, infrastructure and other property development projects. They will also develop the firm’s services in planning and environment law.