Perth, Australia. Credit: Shutterstock.com

Global law firm Holman Fenwick Willan is expanding its Australian operations with the hire of regulatory and products liability specialist partner Michael Maxwell from the Australian firm Clayton Utz and the promotion of an energy and renewables specialist to partner.

Maxwell and Jo Garland, who was promoted from special counsel, will both work in the firm's Perth office.

Maxwell has more than 20 years' experience acting in high-stakes complex litigation, complemented by a scientific research background in pharmacology and toxicology, Holman Fenwick said

"Michael's expertise in regulatory issues, international risk and multifaceted litigation is an ideal fit for our business, in particular our international trading and logistics clients who are exposed to increasingly complex and onerous compliance requirements," Gavin Vallely, managing partner Australia, said in a statement.

Garland also has in-depth regulatory expertise across a number of Holman Fenwick's key sectors and will significantly strengthen its regulatory offering, Valley said.

"Jo's vast experience in the power generation sector and in particular her recent work on Australia's first co-located wind and solar farm, and a groundbreaking 'new energy' peer-to-peer energy trading project, provides clients with the innovative support which we believe is characteristic of Holman Fenwick's service offering," he said.

Matthew Blycha, office head in Perth, hailed the hiring and promotion as "another important step in the continued development of our Perth practice."

"HFW has been in Perth for almost a decade and the areas that Jo and Michael are able to service are indicative of how our business and the legal market generally has evolved during this time; with the future energy transition and regulatory compliance being an issue that is a priority for all clients," he said.

The firm now has 90 lawyers, including 23 partners, across three offices in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.