Joe Longo, Herbert Smith Freehills.

Anglo-Australian law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has hired former Deutsche Bank general counsel Joseph Longo to join its financial services regulatory practice in Australia.

Longo is considered highly experienced in global banking and financial regulation. He spent 17 years at Deutsche Bank, most recently as general counsel for the U.K. and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and before that as the bank's general counsel in Asia-Pacific.

He also brings experience as a regulator, having been national director of enforcement at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Longo joins Herbert Smith Freehills as a senior adviser in the Perth office, where he will advise clients in Australia, Asia and the U.K.

His appointment reflects the growing need for specialist global banking expertise in the Australian market, said Luke Hastings, regional head of the dispute resolution practice in Australia.

"He has an intimate understanding of the challenges faced by banks and corporations when addressing cultural and regulatory issues," Hastings said. "His experience spans several continents in legal advisory, regulatory enforcement and internal legal and commercial matters. He has navigated multi-jurisdictional investigations and regulatory enforcement activity, and that experience is of particular interest to our clients."

Longo will focus on providing additional insight to clients into the way global banks have been navigating regulatory engagement, managing non-financial risk and financial services investigations.

Having previously worked at Freehills in Perth and Sydney before the firm merged with Herbert Smith, Longo said he was pleased to be returning to the firm.

The appointment comes at a time of heightened interest in financial services regulation in Australia, following a government investigation that found gross misconduct and dishonesty in many parts of the financial sector, including in Australia's major banks.

The government has since agreed to a wide range of changes to regulations governing consumer and small business lending, the provision of financial advice, insurance and investment management, and a strengthening of the regulation and supervision of financial institutions.