Dentons gets even more polycentric with seven-way tie-up and Australia hires

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Dentons gets even more polycentric with seven-way tie-up and Australia hires

Dentons, the world’s largest globetrotting firm, has added 17 partners from an ailing Australian shop and announced a combination with seven firms across three continents over the past few weeks.

As 25-partner Australian firm DibbsBarker shut down, Dentons in May acquired ten of its partners in Sydney and two in Melbourne, while another five launched Dentons’ new office in Brisbane. They strengthened the firm’s financial services, real estate and corporate practices. Continue reading “Dentons gets even more polycentric with seven-way tie-up and Australia hires”

Australia latest stop on DWF’s belated world tour as it announces local tie-up

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Australia latest stop on DWF’s belated world tour as it announces local tie-up

In contrast to the majority of the top 25 of the Legal Business 100, DWF has been a latecomer to well-served international markets but it has nonetheless continued its rapid international push by securing an exclusive association with a six-partner outfit in another market long familiar with English arrivals – Australia. The deal, which the firm says ‘will shortly lead to merger’, follows its launch in Singapore in June.

As part of the deal, DWF will take on six partners and 20 associates based in Melbourne and Brisbane specialising in insurance, occupational health and safety and industrial relations as well as a commercial practice focused mainly on the construction, hospitality and real estate sectors. The practice, which was originally formed eight years ago as boutique insurance firm MVM Legal, is run by partners Jamie McPherson and Damien van Brunschot and prior to the deal traded as part of the international network of firms Kaden Boriss. Continue reading “Australia latest stop on DWF’s belated world tour as it announces local tie-up”

‘An industry-wide issue’: City reacts as Australian judge rules HSF partners can join White & Case

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‘An industry-wide issue’: City reacts as Australian judge rules HSF partners can join White & Case

Leavers’ provisions in war for talent come under scrutiny

While the first round of a case that saw Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) pursue an action against eight partners who quit to join White & Case in Australia has concluded, the dispute has highlighted the ongoing war over talent between UK firms and their US rivals.

Continue reading “‘An industry-wide issue’: City reacts as Australian judge rules HSF partners can join White & Case”

Targeting Australia: Withers establishes presence with local tax firm BLW and corporate boutique alliance

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Private-client focused firm Withers has launched a presence in Australia, creating Withers SBL through an alliance with tax practice Balazs Lazanas & Welch (BLW) and corporate boutique SBL Shmith, as it continues its strategy of ‘expanding into key markets for high net worth clients’.

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Consumed – Can burning ambition from Down Under recast Herbert Smith for the global stage?

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With the fall-out from the merger of Herbert Smith and Freehills subsiding, the emerging global challenger needs to galvanise its business under new leadership. Will the Australian suitor’s ambition provide the jolt needed or has Herbert Smith been absorbed?

‘I couldn’t talk about this over the phone,’ said one senior partner at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), with a glance over his shoulder. What could not be recounted electronically was the surprising news that HSF veteran James Palmer – widely regarded as the firm’s top City deal lawyer – had recently missed out on a place on its partnership council, the firm’s main oversight body.

Continue reading “Consumed – Can burning ambition from Down Under recast Herbert Smith for the global stage?”