DWF takes senior litigator from Gadens

DWF has boosted its offering in Australia with the appointment of a senior litigator in Brisbane.

Cameron McKenzie has joined the international firm, which has appointed him as principal lawyer and head of the litigation team in the Queensland capital.

DWF said that McKenzie will help the Australian team expand into commercial litigation, financial services litigation, insolvency and dispute resolution and mediation.

“Globalisation has forced the legal profession to adapt and provide services outside of traditional legal advice. This trend was the catalyst for my decision to make the move to DWF and grow the Australian banking and finance team out of Brisbane,” he said.

McKenzie made the move from Gadens, where he was a partner. Prior to the national firm, he was a partner at DibbsBarker and McDonnells Law, as well as a senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright.

McKenzie has more than 20 years’ experience, with a particular focus on commercial litigation. He has acted for both SMEs and multinationals in a range of industries, including banking and finance, transport, professional services, franchise, pharmaceutical, and building and construction.

DWF has begun using resources from its London float, the largest main-market listing of a law firm in the UK, to expand around the world. It most recently announced the acquisition K&L Gates Jamka, the legal services business of K&L Gates in Poland, as its first buy after the listing.

In February, the firm elevated three in Australia to principal lawyer. In March, the firm announced a raft of hires and acquisitions in Australia. It acquired a Melbourne firm and added a team headed by seven principal lawyers. It also recruited three principal lawyers in Sydney, as well as integrated FT Adjusting, a loss adjuster with offices in Sydney, to its connected services division in Australia.