Mark Hickey

With over 100 years of practice, McDonald Johnson Lawyers specialises in insurance, real estate, commercial, civil litigation and corporate law.

Craig Doyle and Brian Blakemore, who will both join DWF as senior consultants, have led the team at McDonald Johnson Lawyers.

DWF has offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle and the addition of this new team will see headcount in its Australian business reach more than 180 people.

Mark Hickey, chairman of DWF in the Asia Pacific region, said: “We are very pleased to welcome McDonald Johnson Lawyers to DWF. They are very highly regarded and will be an excellent addition to our Australian business.

“This will result in DWF having one of the largest and most experienced real estate and commercial legal teams in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. It will also strengthen our ability to act for leading manufacturing, mining, and port-related businesses in the region.”

Jamie McPherson, managing director of DWF in Australia, added: “We welcome our new colleagues from McDonald Johnson Lawyers and look forward to working with them to further develop our offering in Australia.”

Mr Doyle said: “We were attracted to join DWF which is a rapidly growing business with a strong reputation for innovation. The Newcastle teams and clients are well-aligned and we look forward to playing our part in DWF’s continued expansion in Australia through great service delivery.”