This Month
‘David and Goliath’ firm nabs six partners from global outfit
Piper Alderman has hired six partners from Squire Patton Boggs, as the international legal market in Australia undergoes another shift.
December 2024
Robin Khuda’s go-to finance lawyer finds a home at Baker McKenzie
Street Talk understands banking and finance partner Bryan Paisley has returned to the top-tier firm he left five years ago.
EY sues five partners who left for Alvarez & Marsal
The civil action comes as EY’s leadership asks at least eight partners to leave as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
Wave of partner exits unsettles Clyde & Co amid turnaround struggles
The London-headquartered law firm’s entire local cybersecurity practice is leaving, taking to one-third the number of senior departures over the last 12 months.
November 2024
Union slams ‘shameful’ Slater & Gordon offer after pay talks fail
Slater & Gordon has put a pay deal direct to staff, after Fair Work-brokered negotiations failed on Wednesday.
Pro bono laggards rewarded as major law firms cut free hours
Law firms were warned that failure to meet a target for pro bono hours would endanger government assignments, but laggards have been rewarded.
Baker McKenzie abandons merger plan after second defeat
The vote failed by a greater margin than the initial ballot and upends management’s strategy for the local division of the global firm.
‘Happy days’: Trump presidency poised to benefit Australian law firms
They predict a rise in bills following Donald Trump’s election victory, as his administration pledges to cut regulations and tear up trade deals.
Baker McKenzie partners reject overhaul plans
The firm had hoped to integrate the Australian operations into the broader Asian division in a bid to combat partner exits and financial instability.
Nine partners jump ship from national law firm Hall & Wilcox
Private equity-backed UK firm DWF has raided Hall & Wilcox’s insurance group, adding to a period of instability in the niche practice area.
What does the Freehills merger mean for lawyers?
Herbert Smith Freehills’ UK lawyers will be celebrating the announcement of its US merger plans, but the benefits for Australian partners are less obvious.
US firms to reshape market: new DLA Piper head
Corporate partner Shane Bilardi will take over from Amber Matthews as DLA Piper’s local managing partner early next year.
Herbert Smith Freehills proposes merger with US firm
The top-tier firm’s last big change was when it merged with London’s Herbert Smith in 2012. Its rivals are also looking for American partners amid intense competition.
October 2024
Why the $5m lawyer is no longer a rarity at top Aussie firms
Top law firms are forking out more than $5 million a year to poach or protect big-billing market leaders from rivals, amid intense industry competition.
Quadrant PE set to acquire stake in property valuer HTW
Quadrant has secured exclusivity with HTW owners in a bilateral deal that is slated to close within weeks.
Holding Redlich moves to capitalise on government legal shake-up
The firm says a renewed focus on public sector work will push it towards growth and let it take advantage of procurement priorities.
Student lawyers without practising certificates to earn $136k
US law firm Davis Polk will pay their UK trainee lawyers, who are yet to qualify as solicitors, at least $135,000.
MinterEllison nabs KWM’s former disputes head
Litigator Peter Pether says “the calibre and structure” of Minter’s partnership enticed him to leave KWM.
September 2024
‘Gold rush mentality’: Lawyers pile into AI advice
Lawyers are taking advantage of uncertainty around the legal implications of artificial intelligence use to build out new practices in the area.
KWM changes partner pay to reward the biggest billers
KWM’s top-performing partners will be able to take home a greater share of the firm’s profits, after “moderate” changes to remuneration structure were approved by partners.