BHP Billiton has appointed Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) litigator Geoff Healy as its new head of legal.

Healy, who is currently based in the firm's Sydney office, will start his new role at the Anglo-Australian mining firm on 3 June, based in BHP's main headquarters in Melbourne.

Healy joined HSF in 1990 and was made partner in 1997. At HSF he is a client relationship partner for BHP and in 2006 represented the company in a Royal Commission inquiry into whether the company had breached Australian laws in its dealings with Iraq.

Healy's appointment comes amid a management shake-up at BHP, with the company also appointing a new CEO and nine other senior managers.

Healy is replacing David Williamson, who is returning to Ashurst Australia after more than three years heading BHP's legal function.

Williamson joined the mining giant in 2010 as head of legal after 28 years at Ashurst, and for the past 22 months has also served as chief compliance officer. He will remain with BHP until the end of the current financial year before joining Ashurst later in the year.

Prior to Williamson, legacy Freehills managing director Mike Ferraro headed the legal function.

Gavin Bell, joint CEO HSF, based in Australia, said: "Healy's appointment reflects the high quality of our partnership and its standing with our clients and the business community in general. We will miss Geoff but Herbert Smith Freehills' disputes practice is widely recognised as having unparalleled depth and breadth and along with other senior partners we will ensure a seamless transfer of his clients."

Healy's move comes among a string of departures from the London-based litigation team, with several partners leaving the firm since September 2012.

Click here for a profile of BHP Billiton from Legal Week Reports