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Dentons adds 2 partners from rival firms
Global law firm Dentons has appointed two new partners from BigLaw firms to bolster its infrastructure, major projects and energy and financial practices.
Lauren Croft
Dentons has added two new partners from Baker McKenzie and Gilbert + Tobin, bringing with them a combined 57 years of legal experience to the firm.
Melbourne infrastructure, energy and major projects partner Matt Coleman joins from Baker McKenzie, and Sydney financial institutions partner Louise McCoach joins from Gilbert + Tobin, where she was a special counsel.
Coleman has experience across the development and delivery of complex, large-scale projects across all market sectors, with expertise in project structuring, project management, procurement and delivery strategy and risk analysis. He was previously a partner at Baker McKenzie and has almost 20 years of legal experience across a multitude of BigLaw firms.
“I’m delighted to join Dentons, and look forward to working closely with my new colleagues across the region, and playing a leading role in the growth of our infrastructure, energy and major projects client offering,” he said.
McCoach has been working as a lawyer since 1987 and has held internal roles, as well as a partner position at Clayton Utz for more than seven years, before spending nine years as a special counsel at Gilbert + Tobin. She specialises in securitisation, debt capital markets, structured finance, derivatives and sustainable finance and has extensive experience in a wide range of domestic and cross-border securitisation and debt capital markets transactions.
“Being part of Dentons’ market-leading financial institutions team, as well as the world’s largest global law firm, brings significant opportunities for my clients, which I’m very excited about,” she said.
This news comes after Dentons poached a tax team from Hamilton Locke in November last year, following the election of the firm’s first female Australian chair, Amber Warren, the same month, and the addition of an employment and safety team from Holding Redlich in October.
Commenting on the appointments, Warren said meeting client needs was a key factor in expanding both the infrastructure, energy and major projects, and the financial institutions offerings.
“The addition of Matt and Louise, who both have extensive cross-border experience, will be of great value to our clients. I warmly welcome them,” she said.
Dentons’ partner and head of construction, planning and real estate in Australia, Marcus Graham, said: “Our team has been growing rapidly over the past few years, with a complete offering along the east coast of Australia. It’s wonderful to have Matt join us.”
Anthony Walsh, partner and head of financial institutions in Australia, said: “We’re delighted to have Louise join our market-leading team. Louise’s experience will add even greater depth to the financial institutions advice we can offer our clients.”
Lauren Croft
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
