Ratings agency crowns ‘best’ Australian lawyers and firms

From ones to watch to the cream of the crop, here’s some who made the Best Lawyers list, with Sydney the home to more than any other city.

Over 4500 Australian lawyers were recognised on the Best Lawyers list.

Sydney has taken out the top spot as Australia’s metropolitan area with the most recognised lawyers, says global ratings service Best Lawyers.

The directory has published its annual list of Australia’s top legal talent and rising industry stars of 2025 selected by peer review, with some the country’s top tier law firms keen to highlight their inclusion.

Firms are also recognised for their peer-rated performance across practice areas in the list published this week.

According to key statistics presented by the ratings services, 4513 Australian lawyers were recognised on the best lawyers list across nine metropolitan areas.

Paul Jenkins - Ashurst

Alison Close - Clayton Utz

A total of 604 firms had a presence on the list and their lawyers worked in 95 practice areas, with 323 lawyers included on the “lawyer of the year” list.

Sydney is the top metropolitan area with the most recognised lawyers, with 1612 lawyers included on the list followed by Melbourne with 1266.

Brisbane has ranked in third place with 744 lawyers on the list located in the Queensland Capital, followed by Perth with 401 and Adelaide with 295.

One of Australia’s top tier law firms Minter Ellison had the most lawyers on the list at 185, followed by Ashurst with 174 and Herbert Smith Freehills with 162.

For the third year, a list of “ones to watch” was presented that included 580 lawyers from 119 firms in seven metropolitan areas.

Minter Ellison was declared Australia’s law firm of the year in real estate property law, with 19 of the firm’s lawyers recognised on the lawyer of the year list.

“We are thrilled to have been recognised as Australia’s Law Firm of the Year in Real Property Law for the second year running,” Minter Ellison CEO and managing partner Virginia Briggs said.

Elouise Blunt - Minter Ellison

James Horwood - Minter Ellison

“I am also incredibly proud of our partners and lawyers who have been named as the ‘best of the best’ for 2025, and for the future years to come.”

Sydney based asset finance lawyer James Mok, Brisbane based leasing lawyer Leah Wright and Adelaide based mining lawyer Andrew Corletto were among those included on the list.

Five rising star lawyers from Minter Ellison were identified on the ones to watch list, including Melbourne based construction and infrastructure lawyer Elouise Blunt and Brisbane based retirement villages and senior living lawyer James Horwood.

Overall, Minter Ellison had 186 lawyers included in the broader list of more than 4500.

Sixteen Clayton Utz lawyers were included on the lawyer of the year list, with Brisbane based regulatory practise lawyer Jamie Doran, Canberra based property lawyer Alfonso del Rio and Melbourne based government practice lawyer Simon Bailey among them.

Herbert Smith Freehills had 33 lawyers named in the lawyer of the year category, including Sydney based criminal defence lawyer Andrew Eastwood and gaming lawyer Juliana Warner.

Juliana Warner - Herbert Smith Freehills

Andrew Eastwood - Herbert Smith Freehills

Included on the broader list of best lawyers in Australia was Clayton Utz Melbourne based construction and infrastructure lawyer Alison Close who made her debut on the list this year.

As well, the firm had 42 lawyers included in the ones to watch list.

Twenty Ashurst lawyers were recognised on the lawyer of the year the list including CEO Paul Jenkins and partner Lea Constantine, with labour and employment lawyer Tabitha Vockler of Brisbane and intellectual property lawyer Tim Rankin of Melbourne included in the “ones to watch” list.

The top tier firm won two awards in the Australian law firm of the year category for their work in insolvency and reorganisation law, as well as regulatory practice.