Today
Rapid growth puts pressure on law partnership structures
Almost two-thirds of new legal partners are now on a part-salary arrangement as rapid growth puts pressure on equity allocations.
- Maxim Shanahan
This Month
More law firms hit gender targets as partnership gap narrows
A record number of law firms now have more than 40 per cent female partnerships, but part-owner gender ratios contrast sharply with the engine room.
- Maxim Shanahan
June
Energy transition lights a rocket under law firms
Law firms are streaking ahead of the broader economy, adding partners as deals return and the energy transition offers decades of lucrative work.
- Maxim Shanahan
Challenger firms increase pay in fight for top-tier legal talent
Clients, social positions and work-life balance are among the factors in-demand graduates are looking for in a firm – but high rates of pay don’t hurt.
- Maxim Shanahan
Top law firms question AI’s usefulness
The technology, which has been touted as a revolution in legal practice, will streamline basic tasks but is likely to have limited impact on core legal work.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Exclusive
- Funding
Under-the-radar Melbourne software firm worth $90m after VCs pounce
Atticus has built a roster of clients including BHP, CBA and numerous top law firms for its software that verifies documents are truthful.
- Paul Smith
Honesty and action key to limiting ‘real’ greenwashing
The risk of regulatory crackdowns should not turn companies off making climate change commitments, provided they manage them well.
- Hannah Wootton
May
Membership crackdown could hurt Kogan.com’s ‘north star’
Investors are betting regulation changes to lucrative membership programs will hurt the retailer’s major profit driver at a time earnings are already under pressure.
- Carrie LaFrenz and Tom Richardson
Law graduates are about to crack a salary record
Top-tier graduates will earn more than $100,000 this year – in Sydney only – but law firms remain tight-lipped on pay rates despite moves towards transparency elsewhere.
- Maxim Shanahan
HWL Ebsworth anoints ‘co-pilots’ to replace the late Juan Martinez
Australia’s largest legal partnership, HWL Ebsworth, has new leaders who are hoping for “not such a combative relationship with the media”.
- Michael Pelly
April
Energy focus as Ashurst, Allens, Freehills appoint new partners
Energy and environment lawyers have led promotions at top-tier firms, as the legal industry targets the energy transition as the next big source of billings.
- Maxim Shanahan
The damage done to Seven West Media from cocaine and prostitute claims
Weeks of headlines haven’t dampened advertiser appetite for Seven’s footy ads, media buyers say. But that is not strictly true for its reputation and its board.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Progress on free trade deal for foreign lawyers
Australia and the UK have taken the first steps toward a free trade agreement for lawyers that will relax strict rules around the admission of foreign lawyers.
- Michael Pelly
‘Not honourable, but lawful’: Uber justifies using spyware on rival
Uber’s lawyers said taking private data from its rival GoCatch was not like burglary, and compared its lawbreaking to publishers selling Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
- Paul Smith
March
Martinez lieutenant tipped to lead HWL Ebsworth
Juan Martinez’s right-hand man is favoured to become the next leader of Australia’s largest legal partnership.
- Michael Pelly
Employment lawyers dissent over Gavin Maclaren’s mega contract
There was internal dissent to Corrs CEO Gavin MacLaren’s mega-contract extension. Some came from within its own employment ranks.
- Mark Di Stefano
- Exclusive
- Start-ups
Tech star lends staff cash to buy its shares
SafetyCulture, a $2.7 billion software firm, is helping staff buy more stock and is structuring its sales to avoid debts accrued by some US start-up workers.
- Nick Bonyhady
- Exclusive
- Working from home
Bosses tie bonuses to office attendance
The company has joined rival energy company Origin in linking office attendance to annual bonuses and performance reviews.
- Euan Black
Freehills in court over petrol giant’s $300,000 in unpaid fees
Herbert Smith Freehills will head to mediation with United Petroleum next month, seeking an account of costs as a seven-year legal battle nears its end.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Exclusive
- Funding
Tech founders ‘delusional’ about falling company valuations
Seasoned investors have warned that entrepreneurs are delusional after a new study found most were confident of raising capital this year at higher valuations.
- Paul Smith