Australian firm Gadens has hired a disputes partner specialising in financial services regulation.

Edward Martin joins from Gilbert + Tobin, where he was Sydney-based special counsel. He acts for clients in commercial and regulatory disputes and investigations, particularly in high-value contentious matters in highly regulated sectors, including financial services, health care and education.

Martin joined Gilbert + Tobin in 2016 from Allens, where he practised for four years. Before that, he was an associate in London with legacy Herbert Smith.

"Our disputes group has seen very strong growth in recent years and Edward's appointment will continue this momentum," said Grant Scott-Hayward, Gadens' Melbourne-based chief executive officer. "In addition, we anticipate synergies in his practice with our corporate advisory, education, financial services, health care, private equity and property practice areas."

Australia's financial services industry is expecting large-scale regulatory changes following last year's Royal Commission investigations. In July, The Asian Lawyer reported an uptick in legal work related to the financial services sectors.

Other major firms have also made relevant hires recently, including King & Wood Mallesons, which recruited Sarah Yu in Sydney from Herbert Smith Freehills. The Anglo-Australian firm itself hired former Deutsche Bank general counsel Joseph Longo as a senior adviser in Perth.

Gadens relaunched its Sydney office in 2017, after its legacy office broke away and became Dentons' Australian outpost.

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