The competition and intellectual property groups have been structured to operate under the umbrella of M&A and dispute resolution, said a spokesperson for the firm.

"There has been no reduction in partner, lawyer or support staff numbers as a result of this initiative," the spokesperson said.

"Competition and IPT do still exist and there are no changes to headcount. This structure will simply facilitate more cross-team contact in areas where lawyers have complementary skills and a similar sectoral focus."

This is not a new approach for the firm, said the spokesperson, because a number of expertise areas already sit within practice teams. The M&A practice team includes workplace and employee relations, energy, resources and funds and the banking and finance practice team includes aviation.

- Sarah Sharples