The new partner’s financial services regulation expertise complements the team’s current strengths
Dentons Australia has beefed up its IP and tech (IPT) team by bringing in a former Herbert Smith Freehills partner.
Donald Robertson’s decades-long legal career has seen him advise Visa and the ASX as some of his major clients. He has also acted in regulatory proceedings involving ASIC, the ACCC and the Reserve Bank of Australia.
He works mainly in corporate advisory and dispute resolution, and has handled M&A and energy and resources transactions. He has a particular specialisation in capital markets and regulatory law, competition law, international contract and commercial law, blockchain and cryptocurrency law and international investment law.
In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Robertson has taught and mentored future lawyers during his tenure in the academe. At present, he is an adjunct law professor at the University of Sydney Law School.
As part of the IPT team in Sydney, he will operate as a competition and economic regulation partner.
For Doug Stipanicev, chair of Dentons Australia and CEO of the Australasia region, Robertson’s expertise in financial services regulation is a strong complement to the firm’s IPT and banking and finance practices.
“Don makes a fantastic addition to our highly recognised IPT team, and his experience will be valuable for many of our clients,” Stipanicev said. “Dentons has already made great progress on its growth strategy in 2021. Lateral hires are attracted by Dentons’ strong reputation in the Australian market, our global reach that outstrips any other global law firm and the opportunities this brings for cross-regional work, and our commitment to growth and client service.”
Robertson said that Dentons’ global network was ideal in helping him to serve his clients.
“Dentons is a firm with a global footprint and mindset, yet with connected and local management. The global expertise and client base is amazing,” he said. “Being part of this network in this region allows me to provide clients the advice needed in a world which, more than ever, needs to establish and maintain strong global connections. The business unit in which I will work, the intellectual property, technology and competition team, is an impressive, market-leading group. I am very pleased to be part of that group.”
