This Month
‘We didn’t have a hope in hell’: KWM’s cautionary China tale
A corrupt wind farm deal in Montenegro, a controversial Russian legal conference and the financial problems of one of its most senior executives have thrown the spotlight on the Sino-Australian law firm.
Freehills’ M&A rainmaker lands at Ashurst in law firm shake-up
Tony Damian has joined Ashurst, where it is hoped his leading practice will boost the firm’s competitiveness with the likes of Allens, Freehills and KWM.
Don’t use ChatGPT for tax advice: ATO
The ATO says ChatGPT is “only a slightly better version” of advice given at a barbeque; above inflation pay rise to benefit millions. How the day unfolded.
May
How an ‘unusual director’ rose to the boardroom at age 32
Bridget Loudon-Harris, winner of the Alvarez & Marsal Special Award, thought Telstra had the wrong person when she was asked to join as a director.
Indonesian lawyer accuses Arnold Bloch Leibler of tax advice fail
Benny Tabalujan is suing the well-connected firm and says he would have relocated to Singapore if it had not been for its “wrong and incorrect” advice.
Corporate deals and coral reefs: Law here is ‘never boring’
Expat lawyer Amira Ward can complete her commute to work in the time it takes you to read this post.
Bank details of lawyers, judges at risk in cyberattack
The Legal Profession Board of WA said bank details had been stolen from its systems in a cyberattack on Tuesday.
Former health minister Greg Hunt to join Alvarez & Marsal
The New York consultancy has flagged more poaching from its larger rivals three years after it first arrived promising lucrative pay days for staff.
Milk prices to rise after floods and drought hit dairy land
The widespread flooding in NSW occurred at the worst possible time for dairy farmers, while drought conditions in Victoria and SA will compound limited supply.
Mark Scott on what Australia should learn from Trump’s Harvard attack
The University of Sydney vice chancellor says international students in Australia feel “bereft” about the debate regarding their presence in the country.
Federal Court chief justice flags overhaul to speed up justice
Debra Mortimer has conceded that it takes too long for complicated disputes to be resolved and floated changes so wealthier parties are not unfairly advantaged.
Ashurst ditches Canberra as partners switch to Thomson Geer
The top-tier firm is chasing higher-margin work and dramatically reducing how much government work it intends to pursue, with 60 lawyers jumping ship.
‘Nothing independent’ about PwC’s reform assessment, MPs say
Independent monitoring of the consulting giant’s “commitments to change” will end almost a year ahead of schedule, but its CEO says there is more work to do.
Reserve Bank, Future Fund register big gender pay gaps
Money laundering regulator AUSTRAC is a notable exception when it comes to the big financial agencies, reporting no median gender pay gap.
Slater and Gordon CEO promoted fraudster to $150k position
Slater and Gordon chief executive Dina Tutungi approved a promotion for Bridgett Maddox, and also signed off on a $60,000 payout when she left the firm.
Slater and Gordon knew about fraudster’s history, lawsuit alleges
Former chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen also claims the firm was aware that Bridgett Maddox had attempted to access internal systems after she was suspended.
Luke Sayers’ consulting firm rebrands after lewd photo scandal
The change is significant for Sayers Group, which was co-founded in 2020 by the former PwC CEO and relied on his connections to get investors and clients.
Trump may be rare good news for the big four consulting firms
Uncertainty stemming from the US president’s unpredictable administration is pushing clients to re-engage with firms for advice on operations and strategy.
Law firms raid ACCC for staff as merger reforms near
ACCC commissioner Liza Carver is among lawyers recently hired from the regulator by top-tier law firms expecting a spike in demand for advice on merger reform laws.
Top-tier firms ‘exploiting young lawyers over long hours’
The legal profession is renowned for its damagingly long hours, but new laws are putting “reasonable additional hours” clauses under new scrutiny.