Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has appointed Penelope Ford as a partner.
Ford, who comes from
MinterEllison, where she was a special counsel, will join the firm as partner in Perth on 12 February. Ford is known for her project and construction litigation work, and has a long history of managing construction, oil and gas, and general commercial disputes. She has a particular focus on managing complex, high-stakes disputes, the firm said.
“Penelope brings a wealth of experience working for major energy companies and large law firms,” said Wayne Spanner, NRF’s managing partner in Australia.
He said the firm’s national construction and engineering and its broader infrastructure and energy teams have been growing due to client demand and lateral hires.
Spanner also said NRF’s offering in the area was bolstered by its combination with legacy
Henry Davis York (HDY)
late last year, which included adding experienced construction and engineering partners Kevin Arkwright, Steven Blanch, Alice Chen, Graham Read, and Alex Whiteside to the firm.
The hiring comes as other firms have hired NRF partners recently. Earlier in January, international firm Bird & Bird
announced four new partners, two of whom were from NRF. It subsequently confirmed that a third partner from NRF
joined the firm. King & Wood Mallesons also recently
hired a banking and finance partner from NRF.
NRF is not letting its ranks decrease, however, as it also recently
wooed energy and resources partner Gavin Scott from
Ashurst. This is in addition to the firm
buffing up its ranks in Australia before its merger. HDY also
confirmed a massive promotion round before the marriage. Partner Phillipa Beck will also
return to the firm’s Melbourne office on 12 February.
Penelope Ford
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