Former Freehills partner Rick Malone appeared to fancy mining and energy work on offer at Johnson Winter & Slattery, when he took up a new partner role at the firm's Perth office.

Malone will join the firm in November, following suit with ex-Freeehills partners Mick Dulaney and Peter Smith, who moved to JWS back in February this year.

Malone said he spoke with Dulaney and Smith about what working at JWS was like and found that an offer to work for the firm would be too good to turn down: "They were really enjoying the work at JWS and the freedom that comes with not coming up against conflicts as often as we did previously."

JWS managing partner Peter Slattery is pleased about Malone's appointment because he brings 30 years' specialist legal experience in energy and resource developments. "Rick's broad experiences...will provide the firm with additional depth in this important and robust industry sector," he said.

Malone said once he joins JWS he will work with his colleagues to bolster the firm's energy and resources practice, making it the "envy of most firms in Perth and Australia."