Allen & Overy (A&O) has added a three-strong US securities team to its Australian operations. The team joins the firm after leaving Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which confirmed it was closing its Sydney office in February, reducing its presence to just one partner in the country.
After four months of searching for the firm’s next global managing partner, Ashurst has turned to its Australian side and appointed Sydney-based banking partner and global finance co-head Paul Jenkins as the second man in charge.
Continue reading “‘A global perspective’: Australia partner Jenkins next to head Ashurst”
Having long voiced its intention to boost revenues in the Asia-Pacific region Hogan Lovells has recruited four new partners to expand its operations in Australia, hiring Scott Harris from DLA Piper, Richard Hayes from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), and Gilbert & Tobin duo Andrew Crook and Ros O’Malley. Continue reading “Hogan Lovells triples Australian partner headcount with new hires”
In the largest New Law merger to date, the UK’s biggest freelance lawyer service Lawyers On Demand (LOD) has sealed a deal with Australia’s AdventBalance to create a £25m business.
Two of the founders of Clifford Chance‘s (CC’s) Australian arm, including the firm’s Sydney managing partner, are stepping down from their roles at the Magic Circle firm.
WHITTAKER STEPS DOWN AS LLOYDS GC
Group general counsel (GC) Andrew Whittaker is stepping down from his role at Lloyds Banking Group with deputy GC Kate Cheetham set to replace him. Whittaker joined the bank in May 2013 after having served as the legal head of the Financial Services Authority. The bank also saw the departure of disputes chief Philippa Simmons last month and began a redundancy consultation looking at cutting up to 25 mid-level positions.
Hogan Lovells has this morning (31 March) announced that it will establish a presence in Australia with Allens partners Nicky Lester and Tim Lester spearheading the launch in Sydney and Perth respectively.
The end of 2014 saw two Legal Business 100 firms open international offices targeting new markets. Private client leader Withers launched in Australia, creating Withers SBL through an alliance with Sydney tax practice Balazs Lazanas & Welch (BLW) and Melbourne-based corporate boutique SBL Shmith, while Penningtons Manches set its sights on the US with the opening of its first overseas office in San Francisco’s financial district.
Withers has hired immigration law partner Rita Chowdhury to head up, on its side, the alliance with its Australian partners BLW, which was established in 2009 by three former Baker & McKenzie tax partners and SBL Shmith, a Melbourne boutique led by former Ashurst corporate partner Justin Shmith.
Continue reading “Withers targets Asia through new Australian presence”
Ashurst’s John Carrington, who helped handle the integration of Blake Dawson, has retired as Australian managing partner with no successor, as Herbert Smith Freehills bulks up in Asia with two corporate hires from the firm.
Herbert Smith Freehills’ (HSF) partnership vote for its global partnership council has revealed the firm’s post-merger dynamics, with prominent corporate partner James Palmer missing out on a seat, which instead was secured by Sydney-based M&A partner Mark Crean.
Three spots were available on the council, which is led by London-based senior partner Jonathan Scott. One place was designated for an EMEA (excluding UK) partner, which Madrid-based Nicolás Martín – head of private equity in Spain and co-head of corporate – took, while another was reserved for Asia, with Hong Kong litigator Gareth Thomas elected. That saw Palmer entering into the contest for the final position with a pool of candidates from the UK and Australia.
