Pinsent Masons has announced it is launching in Australia later this year with plans to establish a five-partner practice with offices in Melbourne and Sydney.

The infrastructure-focused practice will be led by former Maddocks chief executive officer David Rennick.

Pinsents hired Rennick last year to lead a review of opportunities for a potential launch down under.

Pinsents has also hired Maddocks partners Greg Campbell and Simela Karasavidis. The three will be joined by former Pinsents lawyer Michael Battye and Adam Perl, who is currently at a senior in-house position at Australian infrastructure giant, Leighton.

Pinsents senior partner Richard Foley said: "This is a significant and hugely exciting development for the firm. Our vision is to be an international market-leader in the global sectors in which the firm operates. Infrastructure is one of those sectors and this development is an important step towards that objective."

Rennick said: "Having conducted a thorough review of the market and Pinsent Masons global client base, it is clear that there is significant opportunity and appetite for the firm here. We have an opportunity to bring a new kind of law firm to the Australian market, with an internationally recognised brand."

Pinsent Masons has expanded significantly over the past few years. Most recently, it opened an office in Istanbul in 2013. The year before that, it also opened offices in Paris and Munich, as well as adding offices in Doha and the Falkland Islands through a combination with Scottish outfit McGrigors. 

Law firms are increasingly opting to launch in Australia. In 2014, Bird & Bird sealed a merger with its Australian ally Truman Hoyle while Baker & McKenzie and Clyde & Co both opened Brisbane offices. 

Of the magic circle, Linklaters secured an exclusive alliance with Australia's Allens in 2012, while Clifford Chance launched in the country in 2011 via a double merger after Allen & Overy moved into the market in 2010, hiring 17 partners to open offices in Sydney and Perth.