Two new partners - Rupert Lewi and Leigh Warnick - have commenced with law firm Blake Dawson Waldron.

Mr Lewi has recently returned to Australia after spending 12 years in Japan, initially as foreign legal counsel at Nissho Iwai Corporation and later as a partner in international law firm Lovells.

Mr Lewi has been involved with major petrochemical, power, minerals processing and LNG industry projects throughout Asia. He has also acted for Mitsubishi Corporation and NTT DoCoMo on some of the largest M&A transactions completed in Asia.

Mr Warnick has joined Blake Dawson Waldron from Mallesons Stephen Jaques. He is an M&A practitioner, particularly acknowledged in the area of contested takeovers. Recent major transactions have included Shell’s takeover bid for Woodside, east Java petrochemical project work and Iscor’s part acquisition of the Hope Downs iron ore project.

Mr Warnick is also known for his work on State agreements in relation to the resources industry.