Long-time Baker McKenzie commercial partner Patrick Fair has left the firm's Sydney office to start his own practice.

Fair, a telecommunications and information security specialist, launched Patrick Fair Associates earlier this month after nearly 20 years at Baker McKenzie.

"My aim is to be available for more board consulting and non-executive directorships as well as to run a more specialist practice in my field," Fair told Law.com.

Fair has expertise in intellectual property, competition law, telecommunications and privacy law. He also chairs the communication security reference panel at Communications Alliance, which comprises representatives from across the Australian telecommunications industry.

 "After 20 years at our firm, Patrick has retired in order to pursue a range of interests," a spokesperson for Baker McKenzie said in a statement. "Patrick made an important contribution to both Baker McKenzie and the legal profession. We wish Patrick well in his future endeavours and he remains a close friend of the firm."

At the beginning of September, Baker McKenzie brought onboard two new partners in its Sydney office, including Clifford Chance banking and finance partner Alastair Gourlay and Dentons competition law partner Lynsey Edgar.

Later that month, the firm hired three new partners in its Brisbane office from Ashurst and local firm McCullough Robertson.