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Blake Dawson boosts Sydney team

Law firm Blake Dawson has given its Sydney corporate team a shot of
energy with the lateral hire of Gilbert+Tobin partner Philip Breden.

Brad Hatch
first published at Apr 15, 2011 – 4.04pm
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Law firm Blake Dawson has given its Sydney corporate team a shot of
energy with the lateral hire of Gilbert+Tobin partner Philip Breden.

Mr Breden, 39, joins Blake Dawson’s mergers and acquisitions

practice after 14 years at G+T, where he specialised in M&A work
focused on the energy, resources and industrial sectors.

Most recently he advised: Royal Dutch Shell on its $3.3 billion partial
sell-down of its interest in Woodside Petroleum; AGL on the merger of
its infrastructure business with Alinta; and Fletcher Building on its
$780 million acquisition of Crane Group.

Blake Dawson’s Sydney corporate practice is in the midst of a

generational refresh, the firm’s national head of M&A, Marie
McDonald, told Financial Review DealBook’s Fast Track.

The firm has relocated a number of partners to Sydney from offices

elsewhere.

“Part of it is creating a very dynamic group of partners in the mid- to

late 30s, early 40s age group," Ms McDonald said.

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“We’ve got this powerhouse of young and very able partners and Phil
is part of that piece. Having a nucleus of six or seven younger
partners who are really able at regulated takeovers work, particularly
with an energy and resources bent to it, that’s where we see a large
part of our future; so we are really concentrating on that area."
Ms McDonald said there was a focus on grooming the next
generation of leaders from within the firm.

“We have got excellent senior associates coming through," she said.

Commenting on the appointment, Blake Dawson’s corporate practice

head, Nick Terry, said: “We are delighted to have secured someone of
Phil’s calibre."

Mr Breden will rejoin his former G+T colleague, Jason Lambeth, who
was hired by Blake Dawson late last year. Mr Breden will join Blake
Dawson on May 2.