Australian law firm Mills Oakley has hired a partner from accounting firm EY to launch a digital law practice in response to client demand.

A lawyer of 30 years' experience, Alec Christie's client base at EY included Microsoft, ANZ, Westpac, ING, ASX, ASIC, ABS, Cochlear and the University of NSW, Mills Oakley said. He also spent almost a decade as a partner at DLA Piper and has been recognised as a leading data privacy and security lawyer.

"Collaboration, geographic reach within Australia and high-calibre collegiate colleagues across all practice areas and offices are the key to building a successful practice," Christie said in a statement. "Mills Oakley has all of these and more, including a collegiate culture that incentivises partners to cross-refer and receive work from a diverse array of practices. It is the ideal fit for my practice."

Christie is the second recent hire for Mills Oakley in a digital/IT-related practice this month, with the firm previously hiring Melbourne-based blockchain and cryptocurrency expert Joni Pirovich from Hall & Wilcox.

"We are serious about building the digital literacy of our firm and we are also responding to client demand for digital-related legal advice, including the IT, privacy, information regulatory and other digital implications of M&A and other transactions. This is a clear growth area for Mills Oakley," said the firm's CEO John Nerurker.

EY declined to comment.