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National law firm Sparke Helmore’s Queensland operations are expanding, with two senior partners and their team from Woods Prince Lawyers joining its corporate and commercial practice group.
Sparke Helmore has joined forces with Woods Prince Lawyers (WPL), a Brisbane-based specialist corporate and commercial law firm, which will see the BigLaw player’s local corporate and commercial team more than double in size and “significantly” strengthen its presence in Queensland’s capital and across the Sunshine State.
The merger will see two senior partners from WPL, Heather Beckingsale and Aston Joppich, join Sparke Helmore’s ranks, alongside consultant Matthew Woods, special counsel Brendan Ezzy and Rebecca O’Loan, senior associate Marjorie Toledo, associates Jacob Lobban and Marcus Malouf, and lawyers Andrew Patterson, Gabryel McNamara, and Michelé Du Buisson. Further, five paralegals and six legal support staff have joined.
The merger, which will see WPL’s team come under the banner of Sparke Helmore, was effective as of the end of March.
With the addition of the 22-strong WPL cohort, Sparke Helmore’s Queensland arm now has 18 partners, almost 140 lawyers, as well as legal support staff.
The news follows Sparke Helmore’s promotion of CTP and casualty insurance lawyer Lauren McHugh to its partnership in late January. It also follows the national firm’s appointment of a team from HWL Ebsworth to its workplace practice in November, hiring a specialty lines partner from Clyde & Co a week later, and taking a corporate and commercial team from that global practice in late October.
Sparke Helmore’s national managing partner, Andrew White, said the BigLaw firm is “very pleased” to have joined forces with WPL.
“They are a firm known for developing strong relationships with their clients and treating their staff like family,” he said.
“Their values strongly align with those of Sparke Helmore, making this an excellent cultural fit. The addition of Heather, Aston and their team allows us to expand our offerings in the region, with mutually beneficial synergies between our two practices.”
Beckingsale, who is the outgoing managing director of WPL, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for our firm to merge with a well-established national firm that is committed to a strong local presence.
“This collaboration will provide us with opportunities for professional growth and development, allowing us to engage with new clients and to expand the services we can offer our loyal WPL client base. We are all eager to embark on this journey and look forward to an exciting future together.”
Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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Jerome Doraisamy
