Warwick Painter, formerly a partner at Allens Arthur Robinson for 11 years, officially joined the DLA Piper yesterday (12 September).

Painter also spent 14 years as in-house corporate counsel at Westpac, including six years as Head of Corporate and Institutional Legal for the Bank.

"The decision to move was very much a personal decision. Australia is increasingly becoming part of a globalised world of business and in my experience clients in the legal finance sector are almost without exception part of a broader international business structure," Painter told Lawyers Weekly.

Painter has extensive experience advising on M&A deals, capital raisings and restructurings.

He said that he has recently seen much inbound business in Australia in the finance sector and that often when investments are being made (and the money is coming from overseas), there are many regulatory issues that the clients need to become familiar with.

"I've seen a lot of change [throughout my career] but the whole time it's always had an international focus. You could almost describe it as a wave of internationalisation of business in Australia now," he said, adding that he recently advised a significant European investor who was investing in an ASX listed company in Australia and needed their investment restructured.

Painter said working at DLA Piper gives him the ability to communicate with his colleagues in different jurisdictions, "knowing that their offices are integrated and aligned as part of the same group" within the firm.

"It gives me the opportunity to become part of a global business law firm," said Painter, adding that having DLA Piper's global network "on hand" gives him an opportunity for developing business for the firm, and an opportunity to refer and better assist clients.

Painter said his 14 years at Westpac helped him to understand the finance sector "from the inside out" as well as the risks in global business.

"One of the things I enjoy most about this job is being able to speak with clients on aspects of their business on their own terms," he said.