RECENT APPOINTMENTS

RECENT APPOINTMENTS

FORMER investigator for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Juanita Rayson, has joined DibbsBarker law firm as a partner.

With more than 20 years' experience in the Brisbane market, she joins the firm from Corrs Chambers Westgrath where she spent over 10 years, including a brief stint as General Counsel of BrisConnections.

Rayson has also been involved in some of the largest deals in the market, including Suncorp's $7.9 billion acquisition of Promina Group, Macarthur Coal's $4.9 billion takeover by Peabody Energy, and AMCOR's demerger and ASX listing of its Australasian packaging distribution business, Orora.

Alan McArthur, DibbsBarker Managing Partner, says the firm has been looking to expand its commercial capabilities in Brisbane for a number of years and believes Rayson is the "perfect fit".

"She has excelled on major transactions and she also brings a wide range of commercial expertise, including corporate governance knowledge, gained from her time with a major firm, as well as in a General Counsel role and with ASIC," says McArthur.

"Another important factor in adding Juanita to our team is her alignment with our firm strategy. We are squarely focused on offering our clients deep expertise in key industries like Life Sciences & Healthcare.

"That sector is buoyant at the moment due to government investment and incentives, greater access to funding and the ever-expanding market."

Matthew Castley

Commercial property law expert Matthew Castley has finished up at Clayton Utz and joined the Brisbane office of Colin Biggers & Paisley as a partner.

Matthew is an experienced real property lawyer who has expertise in all manner of real property related work, including commercial acquisitions and disposals, due diligence, leasing, land tax appeals, insolvency and real property-related work outs, property development and corporate advisory.

Piper Alderman

Piper Alderman has welcomed three senior lawyers to its Brisbane office, adding significantly to local expertise.

Esteban Gomez (pictured), Partner, joins the team from Clayton Utz and brings to the firm a wealth of transactional experience as a corporate/M&A lawyer. He has acted on acquisitions and sales of both shares and assets, a number of high profile IPOs and other capital raisings and has advised on corporate governance and ASX Listing Rule issues. His experience  covers a range of industry sectors, including energy and resources, investment banking, human resources, manufacturing and fast-moving consumer goods.

Jonathan Whybird joins the firm as Special Counsel. He has significant experience in corporate law and major transactions in both the energy and resources and agricultural sectors, including privatisations, major asset sales, joint venture, farm-in and shareholder agreements and project development deeds. He joins us from McPherson + Kelly with previous experience at mid and top tier firms.

Kara Pennisi will also join the firm as a Senior Associate. Kara has expertise in the property space having acted for a wide range of organisations on sales and acquisitions of property, due diligence, leasing, environment and planning issues, with particular experience in the agribusiness sector. She joins Piper Alderman from Holding Redlich.

Thynne + Macartney

Thynne + Macartney has recently welcomed Mark Winn, Partner and Dominique Mayo, Lawyer to the firm's Business Advisory and Dispute Resolution Group.

Mark Winn has nearly 25 years' experience in commercial and property law, as well as commercial disputes and insolvency. He has acted in a number of significant commercial and industrial property transactions including an infrastructure project worth over one billion dollars.

Dominique Mayo specialises in commercial litigation and also undertakes front end commercial work.  Her previous experience includes employment law (litigation and general advisory) and administrative law.

Winn and Mayo join Partners Peter Jolly, Peter Archos and Sue Maxwell in the Business Advisory and Dispute Resolution Group.  

Brady Cockburn

Cooper Grace Ward (CGW) has announced that Brady Cockburn has been promoted to partner in the firm's insurance team.

Brady is an Accredited Personal Injuries Specialist with more than 17 years' experience representing both corporate and private clients in all areas of injury litigation. His current practice focuses on workers' compensation claims on behalf of WorkCover Queensland and Wesfarmers Group TeamCover.

Brady's experience includes claims involving motor vehicle accidents, defective products, medical negligence, public liability and criminal compensation. He has acted on behalf of both claimants and defendants over his career.

Managing partner Chris Ward congratulated Brady on his ascension to partner, which was unanimously supported by the firm's partnership.

"Brady has worked very hard over a number of years and in particular has helped achieve enormous growth in the firm's WorkCover practice," he says.

'His promotion reflects the outstanding contribution he has made to the firm.'

Prior to joining Cooper Grace Ward, Brady was a partner in the injury litigation division of another Brisbane legal firm for six years.

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