McDonald Johnson Lawyers, a full service law firm based in Newcastle, Australia, has joined DWF, the global legal business. The deal will see 16 people, including eight lawyers join DWF in Australia.

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With over 100 years of practice, McDonald Johnson Lawyers specialises in insurance, real estate, commercial, civil litigation and corporate law. Craig Doyle and Brian Blakemore, who will both join DWF as senior consultants, have led the team at McDonald Johnson Lawyers. DWF has offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle and the addition of this new team will see headcount in its Australian business reach more than 180 people. DWF say the move illustrates their growth path and international business and follows its entry into Poland in May with the acquisition of K&L Gates Jamka and the opening of a new office in Düsseldorf in October. DWF has also made 15 senior hires in its international business in the past two months. Mark Hickey, chairman of DWF in the Asia Pacific region, said “We are very pleased to welcome McDonald Johnson Lawyers to DWF. They are very highly regarded and will be an excellent addition to our Australian business. This will result in DWF having one of the largest and most experienced real estate and commercial legal teams in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. It will also strengthen our ability to act for leading manufacturing, mining, and port-related businesses in the region.”

Innovation reputation

Jamie McPherson, managing director of DWF in Australia, added “We welcome our new colleagues from McDonald Johnson Lawyers and look forward to working with them to further develop our offering in Australia.” Craig Doyle said: "We were attracted to join DWF which is a rapidly growing business with a strong reputation for innovation. The Newcastle teams and clients are well-aligned and we look forward to playing our part in DWF’s continued expansion in Australia through great service delivery."