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• Australian secondment firms set to merge

  May 17 2012 Secondment firms Advent Lawyers and Balance Legal have agreed to merge on 1 July. The combined firm will be known as AdventBalance, will have a headcount of around 80... more

• Legal aid budget is disappointingly low, says Australian Law Council

  May 15 2012 Funding for legal aid services in Australia is disappointingly low, according to the Law Council of Australia after the release of the Australian government’s 2012-13... more

• Norton Rose sets sights on US and China

  May 02 2012 Norton Rose Group is looking for mergers in the US and China, according to Chief Executive Officer Peter Martyr. Norton Rose now has a headcount of 2,900 lawyers,... more

• Australian firm Slater & Gordon gets approval for £53.8m acquisition of UK firm RJW

  May 02 2012 The Solicitors Regulation Authority has granted regulatory approval to Australian firm Slater & Gordon for its £53.8 million acquisition of UK law firm Russell Jones &... more

• Vinson & Elkins hires top energy & infrastructure talent from Herbert Smith in Tokyo

  Apr 27 2012 Vinson & Elkins has scored a high profile recruit in energy and projects specialist James Watson. Watson joins Vinson & Elkins as a partner at the firm’s Tokyo... more

• Linklaters forms alliance with Australian firm AAR

  Apr 25 2012 UK Magic Circle firm Linklaters has formed an exclusive alliance with Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson. The alliance is not a merger, but will take the form of a... more

• Squire Sanders set to launch in Singapore

  Apr 12 2012 Squire Sanders has announced the imminent launch of a new office in Singapore, after receiving an operating license from the Attorney-General's Chambers. The... more

• NZ law firms unlikely to follow Australian firms down merger path

  Mar 30 2012 New Zealand law firms are unlikely to follow the lead of their neighbour Australia when it comes to forming alliances with large British or American law firms,... more

• Former Minter Ellison finance chief admits to stealing $2.7m from firm

  Mar 19 2012 The former finance chief in the Adelaide office of major Australian firm Minter Ellison has admitted stealing $2.7 million from the firm before fleeing to Thailand.... more

• 'NO SALE' on NY suit for non-lawyer ownership of firms

  Mar 13 2012 A federal judge in New York has dismissed the suit brought by plaintiff firm Jacoby & Meyers which challenged a state rule prohibiting nonlawyer investment in law... more

• Delegation offers Australia as leading venue for international dispute resolution

  Mar 12 2012 Australia has become a key forum for the resolution of international disputes in Asia, with a solid and robust legal framework that is attractive to international... more

• Linklaters reportedly in negotiations for alliance with Australian firm

  Mar 06 2012 International law firms have demonstrated considerable interest in the Australian legal market in recent months, with most of Australia’s largest law firms merging or... more

• Two mergers between Australian and international firms go live

  Mar 01 2012 Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques formed a Swiss Verein structure with China-based King & Wood. The structure is composed of the partnerships of the two firms... more

• Legal Project Management Enters Adolescence

  Feb 28 2012 Legal Project Management has become one of the most significant trends in legal practice. It has grown in its maturity as well as globally in major law firms. This... more

• Australian lawyers head to Africa behind mining boom

  Feb 28 2012 Australian lawyers are following their clients into the mining boom to Africa, supporting over 230 Austrlaian mining companies with a physical presence on the... more

• Australian firm Slater & Gordon shifts strategy away from acquisitions

  Feb 21 2012 Australian law firm Slater & Gordon is changing tack, leaving behind its decade-long acquisitive strategy in favour of a more organic growth strategy focusing upon... more

• Australian firm Mallesons reviews lockstep ahead of merger with King & Wood

  Feb 20 2012 Mallesons Stephen Jaques is reviewing its lockstep remuneration system ahead of the merger with Chinese law firm King & Wood. The firm currently operates a 10-year... more

• Australian firm Holding Redlich boosts corporate and Commercial practice with new hires

  Feb 16 2012 Australian firm Holding Redlich has bolstered its corporate and commercial practice with the hire of Suzy Cairney from Allens Arthur Robinson and Michael Grosser from... more

• Herbert Smith and Freehills consider July merger

  Feb 01 2012 Herbert Smith is still in merger negotiations with Australian firm Freehills, with reports emerging that a tie-up between the firms could happen as early as 1 July... more

• Chinese firm Yingke continues aggressive expansion with new offices in Poland and Turkey

  Jan 31 2012 Yingke, China’s second largest firm by lawyer headcount has announced a further expansion abroad, launching an office in Poland and another in Turkey. The move comes... more

• DLA Piper relocates Asia-Pacific Employment head to Australia

  Jan 25 2012 DLA Piper has relocated the head of its employment practice in the Asia Pacific from Hong Kong to Sydney. Pattie Walsh will continue to lead the practice across Asia... more

• Herbert Smith enters negotiations with Australian firm Freehills

  Jan 23 2012 Herbert Smith has entered into merger talks with Australian firm Freehills, with a number of different options on the table including a full merger, a Swiss... more

• Squire Sanders & Demspey rebrands

  Jan 16 2012 The law firm formerly known as Squire Sanders & Dempsey has lost the third name from its letterhead. After 111 years under the same banner, the firm has decided to... more

• Chinese and Australian firms will merge to become a force in Asia-Pacific

  Dec 18 2011 Leading Chinese law firm King & Wood is set to ally with major Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques to form one of the biggest legal practices in Asia. The firms... more

• Stephenson Harwood bolsters China practice with two hires

  Dec 14 2011 Stephenson Harwood has bolstered its expertise in China with the hire of partners ChunFai Lui and Matthew Wong, bringing its headcount in Greater China to 17 partners... more

• More work to be done to reach gender equality in Australian law firms

  Dec 02 2011 Progress toward gender equality is proceeding at a faster clip in the Australian public sector than in private practice, according to a new report released by the NSW... more

• King & Wood Mallesons - would it work?

  Dec 01 2011 Interesting article here on the proposed merger between Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Chinese firm King & Wood. The article tries to assess whether the... more

• Mallesons and King & Wood put merger to partners

  Nov 23 2011 Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Chinese firm King & Wood are set to put their merger proposal to partners this week. If it goes ahead, the merged firm... more

• Australian firm TressCoxLawyers boosts property practice with two lateral hires

  Nov 21 2011 Australian firm TressCox Lawyers has boosted its property law practice with the hire of two partners from the Melbourne offices of Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Rigby... more

• Vogel & Vogel teams up with Truman Hoyle in European-Australian alliance

  Nov 15 2011 Australian law firm Truman Hoyle has announced an alliance with competition law firm Vogel & Vogel, which offices in Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt. The link between... more

• Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson launches in Mongolia

  Nov 14 2011 Australian law firm Allens Arthur Robinson has launched an office in Mongolia. The firm does not plan to have a permanent legal staff on site, and will instead rotate... more

• ABA considers allowing non-lawyers to have a stake in US law firms

  Oct 29 2011 Here is an interesting article in the NY Times that takes a look at developments around the world with respect to outside investment in law firms. Australia and... more

• Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jacques signs outsourcing agreement

  Oct 28 2011 Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques has announced that it will outsource legal work to India as a way of cutting costs in a tough market. The firm has signed an... more

• Australian law firms see revenues drop

  Oct 27 2011 Australian law firms have seen a drop in revenues. Even Perth, which is flush with cash in the middle of a resources boom, is expected to see revenue drop by nearly 50... more

• Consolidation in the legal market - mergers on the up

  Oct 04 2011 Law firm mergers are on the increase in the US, with 14 acquisitions in the third quarter of this year – up 79 per cent compared to the third quarter of 2010. The... more

• Australian firm Minter Ellison scoops up US IP expert

  Sep 01 2011 Australian firm Minter Ellison has appointed David Morfesi as a special counsel in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Morfesi is an intellectual property and... more

• Australian companies bring lawyers in-house in cost-cutting effort

  Aug 31 2011 Australian companies are diverting funds from law firm fees to bulking up their in-house counsel in a bid to rein in costs and tighten budgets, according to a new... more

• Norton Rose adds four partners in Sydney

  Aug 29 2011 Norton Rose has boosted its Sydney partnership with the hire of four partners. Funds partner John Moutsopoulos, the former head of Clayton Utz's financial services... more

• Norton Rose Australia appoints new managing partner

  Aug 18 2011 Norton Rose Australia has announced the appointment of a new managing partner, with Wayne Spanner set to take over the role from current MP Don Boyd on 1 January 2012.... more

• Baker & McKenzie reports 8% growth in revenue over 7% growth profits

  Aug 17 2011 Baker & McKenzie has reported growth in gross revenue and average profits per partner in the past financial year. The firm’s gross revenue hiked 8 per cent to a... more

• Squires set to launch in Perth after raiding a Perth firm for talent

  Aug 10 2011 Squire, Sanders & Dempsey has announced that it is set to enter the Australian legal market, after raiding the Perth office of Australian firm Minter Ellison for... more

• 3 Australian firms lead $1.6bn mining deal

  Aug 10 2011 Three Australian law firms are leading the joint $1.6 billion offer by Rio TInto and Mitsubishi for 13.8 per cent of the shares in mining company Coal & Allied. The... more

• More mergers with Aussie firms on the cards

  Aug 05 2011 Rumours abound that two major Australian firms are set to merge with international players. Mallesons Stephen Jaques has reportedly been negotiating with leading... more

• Australian firm Gadens boosts competition practice with G+T hire

  Aug 01 2011 Sydney firm Gadens has boosted its competition practice with the hire of special counsel, Merridy Woodroffe from Gilbert + Tobin. Woodroffe brings expertise in... more

• Mallesons and King & Wood discuss Australia-China tie up

  Jul 26 2011 Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques is in negotiations with one of China’s largest commercial law firms, King & Wood, regarding an alliance arrangement.... more

• Australia looks to Ireland and NZ for regional lawyers

  Jul 25 2011 The Law Council of Australia is looking to make up for a lack of lawyers in regional areas by recruiting unemployed Irish graduates. The Council is working together... more

• Ahurst investigates entry into Australian market

  Jun 30 2011 Reports have emerged that UK firm Ashurst is investigating options for a presence in Australia, following in the fresh footprints laid down by Norton Rose, Allen &... more

• Lavan Legal hires veteran Australian corporate lawyer from Blake Dawson

  Jun 24 2011 Lavan Legal has boosted its corporate and resources practices with the hire of leading Perth corporate lawyer Leigh Warnick from Blake Dawson. Warnick said: “I’ve... more

• Holman Fenwick & Willan boosts Asia-Pacific practice with partner relocations

  Jun 21 2011 Holman Fenwick & Willan has boosted its Asia Pacific practice – following the launch of a new office in Perth – by relocating a number of partners. Shanghai lead... more

• Linklaters goes on Australia / New Zealand recruitment drive

  Jun 17 2011 UK firm Linklaters has hired 21 lawyers in Australia and New Zealand from top firms including Allens Arthur Robinson, Freehills, Mallesons and Russell McVeagh. The... more

• Norton Rose sees £47m increase in turnover in 2010-11

  Jun 16 2011 Norton Rose has announced its financial results for the 2010-22 financial year, posting revenues of £484m for its international operations. This figure represents a... more

• UK firm Holman Fenwick launches new office in Perth

  Jun 10 2011 UK law firm Holman Fenwick Willan has launched its third Australian office in Perth. The office will be led by Julian Sher, who was hired for the role from Corrs... more

• Australian firms saw increase profits in 2010

  May 24 2011 A new study has shown that 70 per cent of Australian firms increased their profits in 2010. The study, conducted by Macquarie Relationship Banking, went beyond the... more

• Rumor mill: Herbert Smith planning to open in Australia?

  May 23 2011 Rumour has it that Herbert Smith is considering a move to Australia, following the path laid down by Norton Rose, Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy. It is not yet... more

• India-Australia mutual referral agreement between Rajani Associates and Rockwell Bates

  May 17 2011 Australian Boutique firm Rockwell Bates has stepped foot in India with a non-exclusive mutual referral agreement with the Mumbai-based firm Rajani Associates.... more

• Webb Henderson to Launch in London

  May 11 2011 International boutique law firm Webb Henderson is set to launch an office in London with the hire of Gordon Moir, the former general counsel of British Telecom (BT)... more

• Blake Dawson, ELP and Allens lead Rs. 9000 crore port deal

  May 06 2011 Adani Group-owned Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone (MPSEZ) has announced the acquisition of Abbot Point Port in Australia. The all-cash deal is valued at A$1.8... more

• DLA Piper merges with DLA Phillips Fox to enter Australian market

  May 04 2011 International law firm DLA Piper has entered the Australian market after merging with local firm DLA Phillips Fox. The integration of the two firms bolsters DLA... more

• Norton Rose boosts Australian Oil and Gas practice

  Apr 07 2011 Norton Rose Australia is boosting its oil and gas practice with the relocation of partner Alex Cull from Singapore to Perth. Cull has worked in the field of oil... more

• Australian firm Mallesons appoints new Chief Exec Partner

  Mar 31 2011 Leading Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques has announced the promotion of Stuart Fuller from his managing partner role to the role chief executive partner.... more

• Market trend: consolidation

  Mar 26 2011 Interesting article here from ft.com, which notes that the merger between UK firm Hammonds with US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey may represent a model for the survival... more

• Another partner leaves DLA Phillips Fox ahead of merger with DLA Piper

  Mar 23 2011 Another partner at Australian firm DLA Phillips Fox has decided to leave the firm ahead of the merger with DLA Piper, taking the total number of departures to 12.... more

• Australian firm Advent Lawyers launches in Singapore

  Feb 28 2011 Australian law firm Advent Lawyers has launched an office in Singapore, becoming the seventh Australian law firm to enter the Singapore legal services market alongside... more

• Top UK firm Clifford Chance merges with two Australian firms

  Feb 17 2011 Clifford Chance, the UK’s highest-grossing law firm last year, has announced a merger with two Australian firms. Clifford Chance will join with Sydney firm Chang,... more

• Australia promotes Sydney as key regional seat of arbitration

  Feb 11 2011 Australia has taken further steps to bolster its position as a viable seat for international dispute resolution in the Asia Pacific region, sending a delegation to a... more

• DLA Piper set to become the biggest firm in the world

  Feb 03 2011 DLA Piper is set to overtake Baker & McKenzie to become the largest law firm in the world by revenue and headcount when it merges with Australian law firm DLA Phillips... more

• Australian judge warns of the rise of legal process outsourcing

  Jan 31 2011 Respected jurist Chief Justice Jim Spigelman, of the New South Wales Supreme Court in Australia, has warned Australian commercial lawyers that outsourcing legal... more

• DLA Piper to merge with Australian ally DLA Phillips Fox

  Jan 28 2011 DLA Piper International has announced plans to merge with Australian best friend firm DLA Phillips Fox, pending a vote from their respective partnerships. The firms... more

• New president for The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

  Jan 28 2011 Doug Jones AM, partner at Australian firm Clayton Utz, has been elected as the president of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The Institute is a global... more

• Australian firm Blake Dawson warns of unregulated litigation funding

  Jan 26 2011 Australian law firm Blake Dawson has warned that a lack of regulation concerning legal financiers could lead to a US-style litigation culture. Blake Dawson partner... more

• Australian firm Slater & Gordon acquires personal injury law firm

  Jan 18 2011 Australian firm Slater & Gordon has completed its $35 million acquisition of personal injuries litigant firm Keddies Lawyers. Slater & Gordon managing director... more

• Norton Rose hires Ashurst partner to lead Asia-Pacific oil and gas team

  Jan 10 2011 Norton Rose has hired energy partner Ashley Wright of Ashurst in Singapore to lead its Asia-Pacific oil & gas team. The hire will give a boost to the firm’s ambitions... more

• US law firms look to emerging markets

  Jan 10 2011 The US market promises little growth this year, and law firms are looking to expand in the so-called BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China – along with... more

• Clifford Chance looks for foothold in Australian market

  Jan 04 2011 Clifford Chance is maneuvering for entry into the Australian market, matching the strategy rival firm Allen & Overy, which has opened offices in Perth and Sydney. The... more

• Japanese firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu in recruitment spree

  Jan 03 2011 Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu has is going against the trend, recruiting ever larger numbers of new graduates. The firm now recruited 23 graduates from the Supreme... more

• Corrs Chambers Westgarth leads Aussie energy refinancing deal

  Dec 24 2010 Woodside Petroleum Limited turned to Corrs Chambers Westgarth to advise on the refinancing of a US$1.1 billion syndicated loan facility – a deal that involved 34... more

• Australian firm Freehills promotes two to partnership

  Dec 23 2010 Freehills has announced the promotion of two senior associates to the partnership. Corporate lawyer Julian Lincoln and banking lawyer Phillip McMahon will be elevated... more

• Aussie firm Gilbert + Tobin is the frontrunner in merger talks with Clifford Chance

  Dec 13 2010 Clifford Chance has held talks with a number of Australian firms in both Sydney and perth as it intensifies its search for a suitable merger partner. Reports have... more

• Large law firms in Australia feel the pinch

  Dec 09 2010 Large law firms in Australia have responded to increased foreign competition and deep cuts to profitability by cutting partner numbers and eliminating jobs, according... more

• Australian firm Blakes hires G+T partner

  Nov 17 2010 Australian law firm Blake Dawson has boosted its Sydney corporate practice with the hire of Gilbert + Tobin partner Jason Lambeth. Lambeth is a mergers and... more

• Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson leads $932m steel deal

  Nov 16 2010 Australian law firm Allens Arthur Robinson has taken the lead role on a US$932 million acquisition for steel giant OneSteel. Under the terms of the deal, OneSteel is... more

• Jones Day boosts capacity in energy and resources with Allens hire

  Oct 29 2010 US firm Jones Day, has boosted its Sydney energy and resources advising team with the hire of partner Tony Wassaf of Allens Arthur Robinson. A number of foreign... more

• Clayton Utz, Freehills and Allen & Gledhill on proposed merger of Australian and Singapore Exchanges

  Oct 28 2010 The proposed merger between the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX) has attracted much interest from the legal and financial community.... more

• Clearing the way for cloud computing in law firms

  Oct 20 2010 Cloud computing is the term used to describe systems that allow users to access software and data storage over the internet, rather than carrying them around on... more

• Results: International survey on corruption in the legal profession

  Oct 08 2010 A new international survey on corruption within the legal profession has shown some startling results. The survey was conducted by the London-based International... more

• Australian firm Henry Davis York appoints new chairman

  Sep 20 2010 Henry Davis York has appointed Philip Crawford as the chairman of partners. Crawford is an insolvency, commercial and banking expert, and has worked with Henry Davis... more

• Adelaide Australia branch of DLA Phillips Fox breaks away

  Sep 17 2010 DLA Phillips Fox's Adelaide office has broken away from the firm, merging with taxation and commercial specialist Rankine Tucker under the banner of Fox Tucker.... more

• High profile Australian lawyer attacks profession for overcharging

  Sep 16 2010 Brian Bartley, the Chairman of the Queensland Law Society's ethics committee, has accused Australian law firms of overcharging clients by using secretaries as... more

• Allens leads A$3.4 billion Canadian deal

  Aug 31 2010 Allens Arthur Robinson has taken a leading role in the proposed A$3.4 billion deal for the acquisition of Intoll Group by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.... more

• Wongpartnership and Freehills advise on $1.54bn takeover

  Aug 26 2010 Singapore firm WongPartnership and Australian firm Freehills have advised on the first major private equity deal in Australia since 2007: a US$1.54 billion takeover... more

• Australian listed firm Slater & Gordon expands and shows increase in revenue

  Aug 23 2010 Australian firm Slater & Gordon has reported a very good year with revenue increasing by 21 per cent to A$124.7 million. The firm has made a series of acquisitions... more

• In House lawyers and general counsels under pressure to cut costs

  Aug 18 2010 The 2010 Legal Department Benchmarking Report has revealed that in-house legal departments and general counsels in Australia and New Zealand are under pressure to... more

• King & Spalding seek approval for expansion into Singapore

  Aug 11 2010 US firm King & Spalding has applied for government approval to open an office in Singapore. The firm’s firs office in Asia will be headed by global energy head Philip... more

• Aussie firms form alliance to promote sustainability

  Aug 05 2010 Eight of Australia’s top law firms have formed an alliance that seeks to promote sustainable practices across the legal sector. Clayton Utz, DLA Phillips Fox,... more

• Australian International Disputes Centre Opens

  Aug 04 2010 The Australian International Disputes Centre (AIDC) was officially opened in Sydney yesterday. Chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout,... more

• Baker & McKenzie appoints new managing partner for Australia

  Jul 07 2010 Baker & McKenzie has appointed a new managing partner for Australian operations. Christopher Freeland was formerly a partner and chief operating officer at Gilbert +... more

• Clayton Utz boosrs project finance team with Freshfields hire

  Jun 30 2010 Australian Firm Clayton Utz has boosted its project finance practice with the hire of top talent from Freshfields. Bruce Cooper joins Clayton Utz’s banking and... more

• Conversation with the Jessup winning team: Australia National University

  Jun 21 2010 The Australian National University (ANU) won the White & Case sponsored Jessup International Moot Court competition beating NALSAR in the semi-finals and Columbia Law... more

• Program promotes links between Chinese and Australian legal industries

  Jun 14 2010 The 2010 Australia-China Legal Professional Development Program comes to an end this week. The program saw a group of 10 Chinese lawyers come to Australia to work in... more

• Australian firm offers legal outsourcing to UK firms

  May 24 2010 Australian law firm Minter Elllison is set to offer a new product to UK firms: legal outsourcing. The firm will offer employment, sports, corporate due diligence and... more