Adding to Maddocks' existing Melbourne property practice, Chung and Badcock will together bring more than 40 years of experience gained at Blake Dawson in corporate real estate, government property, development and infrastructure projects.

"The idea of joining with our property colleagues in Melbourne and working to build a pre-eminent property-based practice in the Sydney office of Maddocks was very attractive," said Chung.

Not necessarily looking to move away from a larger firm, Chung emphasised the "pull element" of what Maddocks was offering.

"It was the opportunity to be part of an exciting program of building a practice and also what they're trying to achieve in property and the broader context of infrastructure, which is a main focus for Maddocks as well," she said.

The only partners of the Sydney property practice so far, Chung and Badcock have plans to expand their team in the coming months. "We will be looking to build a practice and a team of at least the size of Maddocks's Melbourne team," said Badcock.

"We're quite particular and focused on the sort of team that we want to build here ... we want people who are compatible with us. We want people who've got the same level of excitement that we do about building something," added Chung.

In another move from the top tier, Maddocks has also appointed Clayton Utz construction and major projects specialist Mathew Stulic, who has more than ten years of experience advising on the delivery of major projects.

Former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale also joins as an adviser to Maddocks's government team, which includes former deputy Victorian premier John Thwaites. Currently the federal president of the Liberal Party, Stockdale was the Victorian government treasurer between 1992 and 1999.