Independent firm HWL Ebsworth has hired a new M&A partner in Sydney to boost its corporate transactional ability in New South Wales’ state capital.

Rowan McDonald joins the firm from K&L Gates, where he was a partner in the firm’s corporate and transactional practice. Alongside McDonald, senior associate David Cinque also joins from the US-based international law firm.

Juan Martinez, HWL Ebsworth's managing partner, said of the hires: “In the past 12 months, our corporate and commercial team has expanded to include teams in South Australia and the Northern Territory. A larger Sydney corporate team, including Rowan and David, will further enhance our national ability to serve our growing client base.”

McDonald is an M&A expert that handles corporate restructurings and initial public offerings. He is also experienced in distressed asset sales in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, agriculture and hospitality sectors.

He also has almost 20 years’ lawyering experience, and before entering the profession worked at the Australian Securities Exchange for six years.

Before returning to the independent market McDonald worked at Gilbert + Tobin and Clayton Utz. He then joined former Middletons as a partner in 2003 and stayed throughout its merger with K&L Gates a decade later.