2011 has been a time of change and uncertainty. As Europe continues to fight off_x001E_ an ongoing debt crisis and global firms continue their Australian onslaught, the Australian legal market has witnessed a number of major lateral partner moves. Lawyers Weekly presents its Top 25 movers & shakers of the year.

Name: Peter Tredinnick

Firm left: DLA Phillips Fox

Firm joined: Moray & Agnew

Location: Sydney

Following the 28 January announcement that DLA Phillips Fox would integrate with DLA Piper on 1 May this year, DLA Phillips Fox partner Peter Tredinnick jumped ship to Moray & Agnew, taking with him a team of lawyers, including DLA special counsel Belinda Marshall. “His appointment and that of his team represents a significant expansion of our professional indemnity and directors and officers practice,” said Agnew managing partner Michael Pitt at the time.

Name: Peter Stirling

Firm left: Blake Dawson

Firm joined: Mallesons Stephen Jaques

Location: Melbourne

Last week, Mallesons Stephen Jaques took the head of the Blake Dawson Melbourne corporate team, Peter Stirling. He will officially begin work in Mallesons’ M&A team in early 2011. Before joining Blakes, Stirling was the deputy general counsel for the ANZ Bank. “[Stirling] is a fantastic, client-focused corporate lawyer with wide-ranging skills, great energy and who wins the trust of clients,” said Mallesons M&A practice group leader Craig Semple.

Name: Phil Breden

Firm left: Gilbert + Tobin

Firm joined: Blake Dawson

Location: Sydney

After 14 years at Gilbert + Tobin, M&A lawyer Phil Breden joined Blake Dawson in April. During his time at G + T, Breden led a number of significant transactions across the energy, resources and industrial sectors, including advising Royal Dutch Shell on its $3.3 billion partial sell-down of its interest in Woodside Petroleum. “Having sat across the table from Phil on a number of occasions, I know what an accomplished practitioner he is and I am very mpleased that he is joining forces with us,” said the national head of Blake Dawson’s M&A team, Marie McDonald.

Name: Iain Rennie

Firm left: DLA Phillips Fox

Firm joined: TressCox

Location: Sydney

In what was the continuation of a tough period for DLA Phillips Fox, TressCox Lawyers announced in March that the firm was appointing Iain Rennie as a partner in the firm’s national corporate and commercial practice in Sydney. Rennie’s defection was the latest blow to DLA Phillips Fox leading up to its formal merger with DLA Piper in May. Earlier in the month, 10 lawyers from the firm’s Brisbane office left to join Thomsons Lawyers. “There are always a number of reasons involved when making a decision to move firms, and for me it has been the right decision,” Rennie told Lawyers Weekly.

Name: Michael Westaway

Firm left: TressCox

Firm joined: HWL Ebsworth

Location: Melbourne

The rapid expansion of HWL Ebsworth saw the appointment of TressCox partner Michael Westaway as a partner in the firm’s property practice. Westaway will join HWL Ebsworth’s Melbourne office later this month, taking with him a team which includes associate Matthew Powell. Westaway was snapped up for his experience acting for Australian private and public companies, listed property trusts, property developers and aged care providers on commercial property transactions, including sales and acquisitions, commercial and retail leasing, joint ventures and developments. He was a senior associate with Lander & Rogers from 2002 until 2005, when he was made partner.