Pinsent Masons launches Aussie TMT practice with team from KPMG Law
Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has continued to unveil new practice areas for its Australian operations, this time taking a team of eight, including two partners, from KPMG Law to launch a new technology, media, and telecommunications practice.
James Arnott and Veronica Scott (both pictured) have joined Pinsent Masons from KPMG Law, where they co-led that firm’s Australian tech, data, and digital practice.
The team has commenced at the BigLaw firm today (4 March) and is based in Melbourne.
The taking of the team from KPMG Law continues Pinsent Masons’ recent and significant business growth in Australia.
It follows the firm’s launching of a work health and safety practice in Australia with a team from Sparke Helmore last month, the launching of a restructuring and insolvency practice with a team from Gilchrist Connell in December, as well as an employment and reward practice in August, after nabbing two partners and two special counsel from Lander & Rogers and a partner and associate from Holding Redlich.
It also followed Pinsent Masons’ “record year of revenue growth” in the financial year 2023, its addition of multiple partners across the course of 2023, and its appointment of a new head of Melbourne in February 2023, which meant the firm had an all-female leadership team in its Australian offices.
The news also follows Dentons’ taking of a team of 11 lawyers, including two partners, from global rival Kennedys, as reported by Lawyers Weekly last Friday (1 March).
Pinsent Masons Australia head Matthew Croagh said appointing the TMT team marks a “significant strategic move” for the multinational firm.
“Every organisation is grappling with the ferocious pace of change in the field of technology, data and privacy, including the opportunities this change presents as well as the significant risk to operations and reputation,” he outlined.
“James and Veronica are highly regarded lawyers in this field with a wealth of experience advising on business transformation matters and highly sensitive risk issues. The team will work closely with our global TMT team, particularly our existing Asia-based team, to provide advice on the key issues keeping organisational leaders up at night.”
Arnott added: “Veronica and I are excited at the opportunity to launch the firm’s TMT practice in Australia and to add another important service to those currently being offered by Pinsent Masons in the Asia-Pacific [region].
“It’s great to be able to combine our expertise with Pinsent Masons’ global TMT capability and industry sector teams to make a positive impact for organisations across the region.”
Scott noted: “As we move to a global digital economy, we are entering a critical phase. Organisations need to apply technological and data-driven responses to key challenges – from decarbonising supply chains to implementing AI – while facing an increasingly complex global regulatory environment and heightened cyber risk.
“We are looking forward to continuing to help organisations and their boards take advantage of the possibilities that exist today.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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