Lawyers Weekly May 6, 2011 by Rebecca Whalen

APPOINTMENTS

ENERGETIC AMBITIONS Mallesons recruits nuclear specialist

DEALS

EQUINOX M&A

Old Clutz and A&O friends reacquainted

BEST PRACTICE

PRACTICE PROFILE

Winning over clients starts with time management

Regulatory changes shift the balance

BACK TO BASICS

BANKING & FINANCE

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Friday 6 May 2011 Print Post Approved 255003/05160

The Human Rights Commissioner opens up about heroes, hope and human rights

CANDIDLY CATHERINE

Australia In-house

Sydney | Funds

Sydney | IT

Major player in the financial services sector have a new role for a dynamic funds management lawyer. You will have previous experience working for a major firm or respected in-house team. To be successful in this role you will have a high level of experience providing advice on complex wholesale & retail Funds & Investment products (Australian & International) and related legislation including Corps Act (Ch 7). Stand out career opportunity. Ref: SYD/4205/DS

This major technology group is currently seeking a dynamic and commercially focused lawyer with strong IT Law experience. High-level work will involve drafting & negotiation of complex agreements relating to outsourcing (IT and BPO), systems integration and consulting transactions as well as provision of strategic legal advice to senior management. Major law firm and/or blue-chip technology company background required. Ref: SYD/4183/DS

3 years +

Private Practice

5 years +

Melbourne | Property

Sydney | Commercial Property

Excellent opportunity for an experienced property lawyer to join this international firm. Work with two first rate partners across a range of commercial property matters including various land transactions, large scale developments complex leasing work and property trusts. Clear pathway for progression and competitive remuneration package on offer. Ref: MEL/4159/RL

This premier group acts for multi-national corporates, major investment banks and others in the acquisition and financing of infrastructure and property projects. A rare opportunity exists for a talented SA with project management ability to join this respected firm. Applicants from top tier and highly regarded mid tier law firms are encouraged to apply. Ref: SYD/4202/RL

Melbourne | Banking & Finance

Sydney | M&A / ECM

3 years – Senior Associate

2 – 4 years

This top tier firm has a new opportunity for an Associate to join their highly regarded banking and finance team. You will work on a range of complex cross boarder corporate finance, property finance and project finance matters for big four banks and major financial institutions. This team are hard working and sociable and the partners are down to earth and known for their dedication to mentorship. Great opportunity to work with a firm known for it’s culture of reward and recognition. Ref: MEL/4066/RL

Melbourne | Planning & Environment 1 – 4 years

Fantastic opportunity to join a premier top tier firm. This practice is led by industry recognised partners briefed by impressive clients on a variety of interesting environment, water and planning issues. You will work on complex environmental and planning advisory matters both in the context of property, major infrastructure and corporate transactions, native title and complex liability issues. Ref: MEL/4217/RL

Melbourne | Construction SC or Senior Associate

Opportunity for a senior lawyer to join this first rate construction team and be part of an award winning practice. You will enjoy a mixed role including gaining exposure to front end work on major projects, including PPPs, and back end disputes including some International Arbitrations. Genuine path for progression available for the right candidate. Ref: MEL/4204/RL

Sydney | Banking & Finance 2 – 4 years

This highly regarded top-tier law firm is seeking a talented banking and finance lawyer. The Banking & Finance practice is known as one of the most preeminent practices in the Australian market; acting for domestic and international banks, and a diverse range of major financial institutions. They are seeking a lawyer to work on a range of banking & finance areas including acquisition/leveraged finance, project/ infrastructure finance, and corporate financing. Strong academics and a commercial approach are essential. Ref: SYD/4054/RL

Senior Associate

Our client’s enviable corporate group includes a capital markets practice comprised of some of the most reputable partners in the Australia. The group regularly advises on high profile capital raisings, IPOs and strategic placements in Australia and internationally. The M&A team works on both public and private transactions advising both corporate clients and investment banks. This key leadership role will challenge you to manage the firm’s strategic client relationships and legal project teams. Ref: SYD/4178/RL

Sydney | Commercial Litigation 3 – 5 years

This well regarded commercial law firm is seeking a forward thinking commercial litigation lawyer. You will work on a range of matters including regulatory, trade practice, contract and competition disputes for both corporates and individuals. You will have excellent technical and analytical skills and a proven track record working on a range of commercial litigation matters. You will be exposed to high level, challenging and interesting work. Great team environment. Ref: SYD/4140/GG

Sydney | Competition Senior Associate

Talented and high achieving senior associate is sought with a top-tier background specialising in regulatory issues. You will work with clients across a range of industry sectors including telecommunications particularly having involvement with the competition and administrative law aspects of the regulatory infrastructure. Experience working on third party access issues will be an advantage. The ability to maintain client relationships, mentor junior lawyers and work autonomously is essential. Ref: SYD/4012/GG

Sydney | Banking & Finance 2 – 3 years

Front-end banking and finance lawyer is sought by this very well respected mid-tier firm advising a number of leading Australian financial institutions and corporates. You will work with leaders in this field of law and receive one or one attention and an excellent standard of mentoring to ensure you reach your ultimate career goals. You will be exposed to a range of banking and finance matters, including commercial lending, debt restructuring, securitisation, structured property and development finance, leveraged acquisition finance and asset finance. Ref: SYD/4185/GG

For a full list of active roles that Dolman is working on throughout Australia and worldwide visit www.dolman.com.au For further information please contact one of our consultants for a confidential discussion: Ralph Laughton, Daniel Stirling and Gail Greener. Call (02) 9231 3022 or email: dolman@dolman.com.au

Perth | Resources General Counsel 8 years + Leading ASX listed company in the resources industry has a new requirement for an accomplished senior lawyer to lead their legal team. As a key member of the senior management team you will be responsible for handling the high-level corporate legal work (M&A, corporate advisory, co sec) while managing a team responsible for operational legal matters. Excellent package available. PER/4208/DS

Sydney | Corporate Financial Services Senior Associate

Excellent opportunity to work with highly regarded partners in the areas of corporate, funds and financial services. You will be involved in corporate transactions, product structuring, ASX listings, fund raisings, the investment and divestment process and establishing offshore products. Ref: SYD/4213/RL

Sydney | Corporate/M&A 4 years +

This well respected mid-tier firm has an opening for a savvy corporate with a solid background working on a range of corporate work with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and strong drafting and technical skills. Blue chip client base and supportive and friendly team environment. To be successful in this role you will have very strong drafting skills, be technically sound and be client focussed with a commercial approach. The ability to supervise and provide support and assistance to junior lawyers is also essential. Ref: SYD/4141/GG

Sydney | Compliance 4 years +

Mid-level compliance lawyer is sought by this leading mortgage and finance advisory team. You will work for leading banks and lenders in the finance industry sector on a range of compliance and regulatory work. If you have a solid background with transactional banking work this would be an advantage and well regarded. This is an excellent career opportunity working with reputable partners in this field, to build on your experience and be part of a growing team. Ref: SYD/4149/GG

Brisbane | Employment 3 – 4 years

Our client is a premier national law firm with a new opportunity for a savvy workplace relations lawyer to join their award winning team. You will advise high calibre clients in the resources, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors on a broad range of employment and industrial relations matters. Previous experience with a renown or mid-tier practice in this area is essential. Great relaxed culture with a competitive salary and excellent benefits on offer. Ref: BRI/4212/GG

Brisbane | Corporate Finance Senior Associate

One of Australia’s premier law firms has an exciting opportunity open for a talented Senior Associate to join their Energy, Resources & Projects practice. Previous experience working for the mining, oil & gas or electricity industries and knowledge of the legislation, standards and policies is essential. High quality work on offer with exposure to a range of practice areas within the project finance area, including tax, property, purchase and sale of assets and shares; JV and shareholder agreements. Ref: BRI/4124/GG

Contents

“Every legal firm in Australia, however big or small, should commit themselves to having mental health training within their workplace” Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett challenges the legal profession to confront depression

Regulars

Features

6 THIS WEEK: A round-up of the latest legal news

10 IN-DEPTH: Demand for in-house lawyers

and salary increases are both on the rise. Justin Whealing reports

12 IN-DEPTH: The heads of two of Australia’s

COVER STORY:From law student to Crown solicitor, Federal Court judge to Human Rights Commissioner, Catherine Branson QC has helped forge a path for women in the legal profession. She opens up to Claire Chaffey about breaking the glass ceiling

largest law firms had an audience with the PM at the Australia-China CEO Roundtable

20 BEST PRACTICE: The ticking

14 PRACTICE PROFILE: Banking and finance

clock can be a law firm’s biggest asset – or enemy, writes John Gray

lawyers are facing regulatory changes with significant implications. Briana Everett examines the financial reform climate

22 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP:

24 CAREER COUNSEL: Law firms are yet to master effective strategies to engage staff. Building relationships is a good start, reports Briana Everett

26 FOLKLAW: The lighter side of the law

Australian law firms are lagging behind their international counterparts on thought leadership, warns Craig Badings

400+ partners, lawyers & staff across 4 offices. Thomsons Lawyers is an Australian law firm on the rise. We announce the opening of our Brisbane office at Waterfront Place on 3 May 2011. We welcome our foundation Brisbane partners Philip Byrnes Corporate & Tax

Tony Conaghan IP & Disputes

Ben Coogan IP & Disputes

James Daniel Corporate, Reconstruction & Insolvency

Philip Dowling Corporate

Ron Eames Projects

Eugene Fung Corporate

Andrew Kelly Construction

Michael Marshall Planning & Environment

Chris O’Shea Property

www.thomsonslawyers.com.au Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide

Banking & Finance Corporate Disputes Property

L AW Y E R S W E E K LY 6 M AY 2 0 11

Editor’sNote For a Government suffering so badly in the polls, shining a spotlight on the legal assistance sector during next week’s federal budget is hardly going to help. There are few votes to be won in promoting access to justice and little to be gained in the popularity stakes when it comes to ensuring the integrity of our legal aid system. But, as many in the legal sector know, resourcing justice is as necessary as the provision of any infrastructure fund, additional defence capability or indeed stimulus package. Without an adequately funded justice system, the most vulnerable Australians cannot receive adequate representation and the notion of “equality before the law” is significantly diminished. In short, our legal system fails. Already, there are cracks in the system – despite the contributions promised by the Government in the 2010-11 federal budget; namely, $92.3 million for legal aid over four years and a one-off $7 million funding boost for legal aid commissions. It was a welcome result, especially considering the 2009-10 federal budget failed to deliver any additional funding for legal aid. But adequate funding of the legal assistance sector still falls well short of what is required. On average, Australians receive $7.78 per capita from the Federal Government for legal aid. According to the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV), the Commonwealth should be contributing almost double that to ensure the need for legal representation is met and that legal aid lawyers are fairly compensated. LIV claims that the Commonwealth share of legal aid funding must rise from 32 per cent of the total sector’s funding to 50 per cent. Such a jump would not be a leap forward, but merely a restoration of funding levels once committed by the Commonwealth in 1997. This coming Tuesday, many in the legal sector will once again look for leadership from Government to prioritise access to justice and court resourcing. But with legal aid out of political vogue, it’s likely that, once again, the level of attention truly required will come up short.

Editor, Angela Priestley

EDITORIAL BOARD Lawyers Weekly is delighted to have the following industry leaders on its editorial board Andrew Grech Managing director, Slater & Gordon

Nick Abrahams Partner and Sydney chairman, Norton Rose

Will Irving Group general counsel, Telstra Corporation

Helen McKenzie Deputy managing partner, Blake Dawson

Sharon Cook Managing partner, Henry Davis York

Joe Catanzariti Partner, Clayton Utz

David Cowling Partner, Clayton Utz

Robert Milliner Chief executive partner, Mallesons Stephen Jaques

Ewen Crouch Chairman of partners, Allens Arthur Robinson

Megan Pitt Director, Australian Government Solicitor

Sue Gilchrist Partner and practice leader (intellectual property group), Freehills

Lucinda Smith Partner, Thomson Lawyers

ABOUT US Editor: Angela Priestley Deputy Editor: Justin Whealing Contributors: Claire Chaffey, Briana Everett, Sarah O’Carroll, Ben Nice Design Manager: Anthony Vandenberg Production Editor: Vanessa Fazzino Group Production Manager: Kirsten Wissel Group Sales Manager Adrian Fellowes SUBSCRIBE TODAY Lawyers Weekly is published weekly and is available by subscription. Please email subscriptions@lawyersweekly.com.au All subscription payments should be sent to: Locked Bag 2333, Chatswood D/C, Chatswood NSW 2067 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: Adrian Fellowes adrian.fellowes@lexisnexis.com.au (02) 9422 2134 (mob) 0407 489 060 Vic, SA, WA: Stephen Richards (02) 9422 2891 EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: Angela Priestley angela.priestley@lexisnexis.com.au (02) 9422 2875 All mail for the editorial department should be sent to: Lawyers Weekly, Level 1 Tower 2, 475 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067

ON THE WEB

TOP 10 STORIES ONLINE THIS WEEK

NEXT WEEK

The Lawyers Weekly team will head to Canberra next week to report on Treasurer Wayne Swan’s fourth federal budget. With the help of the LexisNexis Capital Monitor team, based at Parliament House, we’ll deliver a special eNewsletter covering the budget on Tuesday night, as well as the latest analysis, budget paper overviews, news and views on our budget portal, www.lexisnexis.com.au/ federal-budget.

Legal process outsourcing (LPO) is changing the business of law as we know it. So who’s jumping on board the LPO bandwagon and what do they stand to gain? Find out in the next edition of Lawyers Weekly.

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L AW Y E R S W E E K LY 6 M AY 2 0 11

All-nighters a barrier to women partners Exodus from Clutz continues with loss to Maddocks Red faces for poor billers Refugees being held in jail illegally Lawyers diss social media How to build an effective social media platform Blakes gives iPads a go Large law stepping up online recruitment Old chums take opposite sides of M&A deal The new opportunities for Oz firms in China

CAB MEMBER SINCE SEPTEMBER 2000 Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher. Contributions are invited, but copies of all work should be kept, as Lawyers Weekly can accept no responsibility for loss. Lawyers Weekly and LexisNexis are divisions of Reed International Books Australia Pty Limited, ACN 001 002 357 Level 1 Tower 2, 475 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067 tel (02) 9422 2203 fax (02) 9422 2946 ISSN 1833-5209 Important Privacy Notice: You have both a right of access to the personal information we hold about you and to ask us to correct if it is inaccurate or out of date. Please direct any queries to: The Privacy Officer, LexisNexis Australia or email privacy@lexisnexis.com.au. © 2010 Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 70 001 002 357) trading as LexisNexis. LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., and used under licence.

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thisweek

LCA applauds appointment The Law Council of Australia (LCA) has commended a Federal Government decision to appoint Bret Walker SC to the position of Independent Security Legislation Monitor. The inaugural appointment, announced by Treasurer Wayne Swan last week, comes after years of lobbying by the LCA for an independent assessment of Australia’s anti-terrorism measures, and submissions on a number of bills including the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Bill 2010. QLS tours mark 160 years of law Queensland Law Society (QLS) will offer night-time criminal history tours providing a “window to Brisbane’s dark past” during National Law Week (16-21 May). Barrister Ralph Devlin will host the two-and-a-half-hour tours that depart from Law Society House during the Law Week celebrations, highlighting around 20 sites in Brisbane’s CBD and inner suburbs that have played a role in the past 160 years of legislative history. IP bodies debate rejection Peak intellectual property bodies came together on 5 May, to debate the topic “that all great innovations are built on rejections”. The debate was held in line with World IP Day at the Sydney office of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, and saw government, industry and private organisations take part to highlight the importance of innovation and IP to the economy.

l aw y e r s w e e k ly 6 M ay 2 0 11

The Web

Classification review ready for update The Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) first National Classification Scheme Review in 20 years will be led by Terry Flew, a professor of media and communication at Queensland University of Technology. The inquiry is expected to address how changing media and the convergence of technologies have completely transformed the classification environment. Follow the inquiry’s progress on Facebook, or via the Twitter hashtag #clasrev.

Refugees jailed illegally A PROMINENT lawyer has hit out at the Federal Government as asylum seekers continue to be held in a Sydney jail without charge. Following the recent riots at Villawood Detention Centre, 22 asylum seekers from Iran and Afghanistan were transferred to the maximum security jail in Silverwater and are yet to be charged with an offence. The Department of Immigration believes their imprisonment is lawful under the terms of the Migration Act – a claim that is disputed by Australian Lawyers Alliance director Greg Barns. “It is extraordinary for a person to be deprived of their liberty and to be removed from their place of residence into custody when they haven’t been charged, and still haven’t been charged four to five days later,” Barns told Lawyers Weekly. “I think the Immigration Department potentially acted illegally in what they did.” Barns believes the imprisonment of the asylum seekers violates both state and international laws. “Holding people in solitary confinement when there is no justifiable basis for doing so is a breach of the relevant corrections legislation in NSW,” said Barns. “It is certainly in breach of Australia’s international obligations; in particular, the convention on torture and other forms of cruel and unusual punishment.” Barns does not believe domestic laws such as the Migration Act trump Australia’s international human rights obligations. “The High Court has said on a number of occasions that when there is any ambiguity, domestic laws must be read in such a way as to ensure that Australia’s international obligations are met.” Stephen Blanks, the secretary of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties, is acting for the 22 asylum seekers. He told Lawyers Weekly that the majority of his clients

have spent their entire detention at Silverwater in solitary confinement, and are handcuffed when he meets with them. He said their continued detention without charge at Silverwater violates the principles that underpin Australia’s legal system. “The fact that there is a technical ability under the Migration Act to treat state prisons as immigration detention centres doesn’t make the treatment of these asylum seekers correct,” said Blanks. “If you asked a first-year law student if you could end up in a maximum security prison in solitary confinement without being convicted or charged with any offence, you would get a pretty high response of no.” Blanks has filed official complaints to the Human Rights Commission and the NSW Ombudsman about the treatment of his clients. When asked by a journalist if people held in maximum security jails should be charged with an offence, the Attorney-General stated last week that “is usually the case”, but he is “not aware of the specifics in those circumstances [Villawood riots].”

R E W IND The World Bank urged China’s policymakers to ensure that property prices and inflation were controlled in order to maintain the bank’s optimistic outlook for the giant economy. House prices across the nation fell by 0.6 per cent during the first quarter, while unit prices dropped 1.2 per cent – marking the bleakest period for house investors since the global financial crisis. The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, suggested the Federal Government cough up $10,000 for each skilled employee who relocates to the state in order to tackle the skills shortage. Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark said the state would be following in the footsteps of NSW by seeking to introduce legislation regarding modern arbitration rules for companies. Survivors of the Lockyer Valley flood, in which 17 people were killed, told the Queensland Floods Commission of their grief and anger at not being warned about the approaching water.

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thisweek

Old chums face off on massive M&A deal Deal name: Barrick Gold bid for Equinox Minerals Key players: Allen & Overy; Clayton Utz; Ogilvy Renault; Sullivan & Cromwell; Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

ALLEN & OVERY’S Australian partners and their former Clayton Utz colleagues have sat on opposing sides of a major cross-border mining M&A deal. Clayton Utz acted as the Australian legal adviser for the world’s largest goldmining company, Canada’s Barrick Gold, on its $7.1 billion takeover offer for the dual Canadian and Australian listed company Equinox Minerals. National M&A practice head John Elliott and tax partner Mark Friezer led the Clayton Utz team. Canadian firm Ogilvy Renault, which will be joining Norton Rose’s international stable on 1 June, acted as the Canadian adviser to Barrick. New York-based Sullivan & Cromwell partners James Morphy and George Sampas also advised Barrick on the transaction. Equinox Minerals used Allen & Overy as its Australian advisers. Perth-based partners Geoff Simpson and Meredith Campion led the team, which included lawyers from the firm’s Sydney office.

Simpson was formerly the head of the Perth office at Clayton Utz, with Equinox being one of the key, longstanding clients that he and fellow Clayton Utz defector Campion brought across with them when they joined Allen & Overy in early 2010. “We have acted for Equinox for a long time,” said Simpson. “I have acted for them virtually from day one, when it had its IPO many years ago. I have done bits and pieces of work subsequent to that, which were obviously Australian law based. This was a restriction at Clayton Utz, but that restriction doesn’t apply as much with Allen & Overy.” Simpson told Lawyers Weekly that his dealings with Clayton Utz on this deal were extremely limited and that there was “no lingering tension with John Elliott and all the gang”. Osler Hoskin & Harcourt acted as the Canadian legal advisers for Equinox. On 25 April, the Equinox board accepted Barrick Gold’s offer, causing Minmetals Resources to drop its bid.

DE AL MAKERS

Andrew Reilly

Brendan Groves

Richard Flynn

Firm

Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper

Clayton Utz, DLA Phillips Fox

Blake Dawson, Clayton Utz and Herbert Smith

Deal name

Mission NewEnergy IPO

CSG Ltd capital raising

Sinopec’s 15% stake in Australia Pacific LNG

Area

Capital markets

Corporate

Value

$22.9 million

$40 million

$1.4 billion

Key players

Bakers’ Andrew Reilly

Brendan Groves and Steven Casper

Clayton Utz’s Graham Taylor and Andrew Smith, Blakes’ Richard Flynn

Movers & Shakers

D E A L O F T HE W E E K

Mallesons nabs nuclear specialist Annabel Griffin has joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques as a senior associate specialising in energy, finance and project finance. She joins Mallesons from an international nuclear energy company and, prior to that, Linklaters. Slaters snaps up Shine talent Slater & Gordon has appointed Karina Hafford the group practice leader, specialising in medical negligence law, of the firm’s Perth office. Hafford joins Slater & Gordon from Shine Lawyers, where she acted as a branch manager and associate. New partners for Wallmans Adelaide firm Wallmans Lawyers has announced the appointment of two new partners. Litigation lawyer Stephen Dickinson (pictured) steps into the partnership, in addition to being appointed director of the firm’s new mediation services practice. Natalie Lloyd steps up from the firm’s taxation practice, bringing with her experience in federal taxation issues as well as state taxation law. Shine adds new board member John George, the principal of corporate advisory firm Standard Edge, has been appointed to the board of Shine Lawyers. At the age of 32, he became the youngest chief financial officer of an ASX 200 company and has also worked as a financial regulator with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. George holds positions as trustee of the Bravehearts Endowment Fund and chairman of the subcommittee Endowment Fund of the Royal Brisbane Women’s Foundation.

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thisweek xmerger completex

xtechnologyx

DLA Piper opens local doors AUSTRALIA IS now officially home to another global law firm after the integration of DLA Phillips Fox and DLA Piper was completed over the weekend (30 April-1 May). DLA Piper now boasts five offices across Australia and 11 throughout the Asia-Pacific, totalling 700 lawyers, following the official integration. Globally, the firm has 4200 lawyers across 76 offices in 30 countries. DLA Piper’s Australian managing partner Tony Holland said the integration marked a “significant” turn for the Australian legal market, with local clients now able to access another firm with a global footprint. According to DLA Piper’s Asia-Pacific managing partner, Alastair Da Costa, the move will assist clients seeking international services. “We have seen increased demand across the region for cross-border projects, deals, corporate expansions and complex legal transactions,” said Da Costa. “There are many opportunities for our lawyers, in the region and globally, to work on international and multijurisdictional legal matters as well as providing valuable insight and experience on local matters, and we are well placed to cater for and compete for this global work,” he said.

Blakes lawyers work from mobile office BLAKE DAWSON has taken steps to improve the mobility of its lawyers by trialling the use of new computing devices such as the Apple iPad. The firm began trialling the use of iPads in its offices in December 2010, with the pilot due to end next month. Following the implementation of a Citrix solution, Blake Dawson’s lawyers are now able to remotely access all the work systems securely via the iPad. “Obviously, maintaining the confidentiality of client information is paramount, and that poses a bit of a dilemma,” said Chrissy Burns, Blake Dawson’s director of IT and knowledge. “When iPads came out, we had a lot of our lawyers coming to us saying, ‘We think there are a lot of really good ways we could be using the iPad to help us get client work done on the run or when we’re travelling.’ The challenge for us was how to take advantage of what the iPad has to offer, but to make sure that we cover off on the security considerations.”

Burns said the firm will receive more details on the success of the trial upon completion of the pilot. “The other thing we’ll do is look at some of the other uses of the iPad within the firm,” she said. “Where people have their personal iPads and have applications they want to use while work things are running off the same device, our lawyers can use the iPad to securely log in and do client work without having to switch between a work laptop and the iPad.” Burns said Blake Dawson’s iPad trial has been very popular among staff, with plans to eventually develop an application that is useful for both the firm’s clients and its lawyers. “We’re watching for developments in the application space to develop one application and use it across all different areas,” she said. “We still need to do an evaluation to work out [the firm’s next steps]. We think the iPads will have a place, but there are different devices that will be useful in different situations.”

xbar-based system x

Victoria to overhaul Silk appointments

Read more from the DLA Piper senior leadership team at www.lawyersweekly. com.au.

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THE APPOINTMENT process for Victorian Silks is set to change in 2012, with a bar-based system likely to replace the current process by which the Chief Justice of Victoria decides. The Victorian Bar is set to invite submissions from members, as well as input from Chief Justice Marilyn Warren, before adopting a new model for the appointment process before the end of the year. Mark Moshinsky SC, chairman of the Victorian Bar, says the Bar is well placed to develop a new model of silk appointments. “With a review of the Silks process already under way, we are well placed to give careful consideration to all the options and look closely at a number of models which are already in place – for example, in NSW and the UK,” said Moshinsky. “We will consult our members and the wider profession, and there will be opportunities for

submissions and discussion as we go about this process.” The changes are in line with the planned commencement of the Courts Executive Service in 2012, which will separate the governance of Victorian courts from the Executive. The Chief Justice is expected to chair and oversee the governing body. Justice Warren has said the changes mean she will be unable to continue the appointment process. Moshinsky said the Bar is “grateful” to the Chief Justice for carrying out the appointment process for the past seven years and that the existing system has “been strongly supported by the Bar”. Prior to 2004, the Victorian Governor appointed Silks on the advice of the Attorney-General. The Chief Justice will still be required to undertake the appointment process this year.

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thisweek xworkplace healthx

education key to action on mental illness Attitudes towards depression in the workplace have improved dramatically, but law firms still fall short on taking action. Claire Chaffey reports Law firms need to provide more training regarding depression and anxiety in the workplace if the legal profession is to effectively deal with mental illness, a new study has shown. The survey, conducted by Beaton research & Consulting and beyondblue: the national depression initiative, examined awareness levels and attitudes towards depression and anxiety disorders among 18,000 professionals in australia. it found that in 2011, lawyers were less likely to hold stigmatising views about depression in the workplace than they were in 2007. “There has been a dramatic improvement in the knowledge, education and understanding among those in the legal profession of things to do with depressive illnesses,” said beyondblue

chairman Jeffrey Kennett aC (left). “You now have a situation where 22 per cent of lawyers have been subjected to some form of mental health, depression or anxiety training. That is a huge improvement on where we were 10 years ago, when i suggest there was none, and a big improvement on where we were in 2007.” However, the survey also found that barriers still exist when it comes to engaging in proactive behaviour and actually assisting a colleague who may be experiencing depression. according to Kennett, this can be resolved by providing training to all legal professionals. “Every legal firm in australia, however big or small, should commit themselves to having mental health training within their workplace”. “One of the wonderful things that has happened as a result of this research is that more people are aware of depression, but there are still a number of people that are uncomfortable about their firm or themselves offering assistance... a lot

of people are still concerned about offering advice to a colleague, concerned that they might have their heads bitten off for interfering. But if everyone in the workplace was educated about depression, the person that you’re approaching would probably quite understand your approach and, in many cases, might be very grateful.” The survey also found that 73.3 per cent of lawyers agree that having a stressful job increases the likelihood of depression, compared to 63.1 per cent in 2007. Kennett believes billable hours and a focus on six-minute increments is a major contributing factor to stress. and while he is hopeful that this system will eventually be abolished, he says that in the mean time, the proportion of lawyers attending workplace training must increase. “we challenge legal firms to spend a bit of time and money having workplace training, because it’s the best investment they’ll ever make,” he says. “if you end up with a happy and healthy workforce, you are obviously going to be more productive than if you have got people who are not performing at their norm, or are absent from work altogether. “we will be looking at ways and means of getting to every legal firm to see if we can’t ensure that they have training.”

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indepth

More room in the house

Demand for in-house lawyers and salary increases are both on the rise. Justin Whealing reports

rebounding M&A market and the continuing energy and resources boom means more companies have money to spend on recruiting lawyers, according to a recent report. The Robert Walters Q1 2011 market update, released on 28 April, contains good news for private practice lawyers with three to six years of experience who might be looking to move in-house. The Robert Walters report predicts that the continued rise in business activity will see investment banks, construction and engineering companies, insurance bodies and professional services organisations looking to hire more in-house lawyers. “There has definitely been an increase in demand for banking and finance lawyers with specific skill sets,” says Robert Walters legal recruitment manager Jenny Bermheden. “Lawyers with expertise in equity capital markets, derivatives, structured products and project finance are very much sought after at both the junior and senior levels.” Bermheden says that during the global financial crisis, in-house teams with large

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organisations got “much, much, smaller”, but that many large corporates are now recruiting again as the economy continues its recovery. “In-house teams were so much larger before the GFC hit, when many lawyers were made redundant,” she says. “Now they are returning to the market and looking to recruit more people because of the work coming through the door.” Bermheden is also seeing an increased demand for in-house lawyers within smaller companies. She says that previously, they might have outsourced all their legal work. However, recent demand pressures have resulted in a need to develop internal legal capabilities and they are now looking to recruit senior lawyers into general counsel positions, with the long-term goal to then build an in-house team around them. “I am speaking to a lot more smaller companies that might not have needed internal legal counsel before, but are now thinking that due to the market becoming busier, they need legal people on the ground. “That is why they are looking for senior lawyers with a broad skill set. They can do some

corporate advisory work, some litigation, transaction work and general commercial contracts,” she says. The increased recruitment activity in the in-house legal market is also flowing through to private practice, with law firms needing to replenish their staff levels as more lawyers start looking for greener corporate pastures. Marsden Group principal Jonathan Walmsley comments that Australian lawyers are in demand from local and international firms. “With the banks starting to hire again, more lawyers are moving in-house, with turnover meaning that law firms have started hiring again,” says Walmsley. “Major US and UK firms have also been hiring [in the Australian market] in Asia and London again, creating additional gaps in the Australian market that domestic firms also need to fill.” Walmsley says lateral partner hires and top-tier activity have picked up markedly in the first part of this year. “The past six months have really seen a pick-up in top-tier recruiting activity, with the top end of town standing down the most lawyers during the GFC,” he says.

show me the money With the in-house market becoming increasingly bullish, Walmsley believes private practice lawyers are in a better bargaining position to demand salary increases than they have been over the past couple of years. “Mid-tier lawyers are in a particularly strong bargaining positioning, as they will start to attract increasing interest from corporations, banks and large law firms,” he says. “I expect that we will see some salary increases this year, particularly because they have been suppressed over the past couple of years, and 2011 should really be the year that they pick up again.” According to the Robert Walters report, investment banking is the most lucrative sector for in-house lawyers. A general counsel with an investment bank earns in excess of $280,000, with in-house lawyers with 10 or more years experience earning up to $260,000, and lawyers with up to six years experience expecting salaries of around $225,000. The next best paid industry is private wealth and superannuation, followed by retail banking and insurance.

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indepth

Now they [companies] are returning to the market and looking to recruit more people because of the work coming through the door” JENNY BERMHEDEN, LEGAL RECRUITMENT MANAGER, ROBERT WALTERS

I think that expectation, and a heavier workload and competition from international firms in Australia and overseas, will drive salary increases” JONATHAN WALMSLEY, PRINCIPAL, MARSDEN GROUP

In comparison, private practice lawyers with 10 or more years of experience at top-tier firms can expect to earn in excess of $220,000, lawyers with six to 10 years of post-qualified experience (PQE) between $140,000 and $230,000 and lawyers with three to six years of PQE $90,000 to $160,000. Their mid-tier counterparts with more than 10 years of experience can expect to earn more than $190,000, while lawyers with six to 10 years PQE will be on salaries between $120,000 and $220,000, and those with three to six years experience can expect to be paid in the range of $85,000 to $150,000. “There is a lot of expectation on the part of lawyers that salaries will rise this year,” says Walmsley. “I think that expectation, and a heavier workload and competition from international firms in Australia and overseas, will drive salary increases.” Walmsley expects to see more firms adopt formal or informal bonus payment schemes to provide them with greater flexibility with their respective salary structures. LW

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indepth

A seat at the table

The heads of two of Australia’s largest law firms had a rare audience with the Prime Minister during policy talks between Australia and China

allesons Stephen Jaques CEO Robert Milliner and Corrs Chambers Westgarth head John Denton met Prime Minister Julia Gillard in China on 26 April as part of a high-powered Australian business delegation. Milliner and Denton were among 11 Australian corporate heavyweights that are part of the Australia-China CEO roundtable. The annual meeting was held in Beijing to coincide with Gillard’s visit to the communist nation. “The intention of the meetings is to understand what are issues for business on both sides,” says Milliner. “For the Australian services sector, not just legal, but [also] accountancy, architecture and education... We talk about what are some of the impediments to major trade and investment between Australia and China.” In addition to their roles as the heads of Mallesons and Corrs, Milliner and Denton have extensive links with the Australian business community. They are both members of the Business Council of Australia, with Milliner the chair of the council’s Regulation Task Force and Denton the chair of the Global Engagement Task Force. Denton is also one of two Australian delegates to the B20, the business reference group to the G20. Milliner says that while many companies on the Chinese side of the delegation are clients, the main purpose of the roundtable is not to drum up business but rather to aid policy discussions between the two nations. “There is an interchange of dialogue about a range of issues,” says Milliner. “For example, the planning and approval process in Australia and the implications of a skills shortage in Australia were discussed.”

“The intention of the meetings is to understand what are issues for business on both sides. We talk about what are some of the impediments to major trade and investment between Australia and China”

Milliner confirmed that the group’s focus is on trade and economic issues, with human rights or social topics not discussed formally. Delegates from both sides – which also included the head of BHP Billiton, Marius Kloppers, and the head of ANZ, Mike Smith – gave presentations on four topics. Milliner spoke about energy security between Australia and China, while Denton addressed the role of finance in promoting economic and trade co-operation between the two countries. “The main issue I focused on concerned regulation issues and the need for there to be a transparent and open market with transparent prices,” says Milliner. “With energy security, one of the biggest issues in the supply chain is the way in which there is transparency around future energy needs and prices are an important

signal in that, so having a proper price signalling market is important.” After spending about four hours discussing these bilateral business issues, a formal presentation was made to Gillard and Chinese vice-premier Li Keqiang. Both Gillard and Keqiang then provided a formal government response on those topics. With the China-Australia CEO Roundtable now an annual event – last year’s meeting was held in Canberra in June with then prime minster Kevin Rudd in attendance – Milliner says that attendees are now also looking to extend possible meetings to be outside that annual framework. “From a BCA point of view, we have discussed trying to continue the engagement between meetings around specific issues,” he says.

Companies represented at the Australia-China CEO Roundtable Chinese delegation

Australian delegation

Chalco

ANZ

China Development Bank

BHP Billiton

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group

BNP Paribas

China International Engineering Consulting

The Boston Consulting Group

China Metallurgical Group

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group

Hanson Australia

China Southern Airlines

Mallesons Stephen Jaques

CITIC Group

PricewaterhouseCoopers

CNOOC Ltd

QGC Pty Ltd

CNPC

ResMed

Yankuang Group

Rio Tinto

RobeRT MillineR, Ceo, MAllesons sTephen JAques

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practiceprofile

air of uncertainty Banking and finance lawyers are facing regulatory changes that have significant implications for them and their clients. Briana Everett examines the current climate of financial reform

espite a strong and expanding work flow following the global financial crisis, lawyers working within the banking and finance space are now facing a significant period of regulatory uncertainty due to imminent reforms. According to Baker & McKenzie partner Bryan Paisley, the GFC has resulted in an increase in widespread financial regulation at both the national and international levels. “We’ve been working on an ongoing basis with our clients to work out what the everyday practical implications of those changes are,” says Paisley. While the current plans for reform are creating an air of uncertainty for the Australian and global banking and finance sectors, the ongoing lack of clarity on the domestic front with respect to the Federal Government’s proposed carbon pricing mechanism is adding to reservations within the market. “It’s something that has to be factored into every deal being done in the area,” says Paisley. “If there’s one thing business dislikes, it’s uncertainty. Anybody looking at doing transactions in the Australian market is going to have to take the [proposed carbon price mechanism] into account. But equally, you only have to look at the amount of inward M&A that’s going on to see that ... it’s certainly not stopping deals.” Similarly, Freehills partner Andrew Booth notes that the flow of work related to general financing transactions has not been impeded, either. “The uncertainty associated with the carbon tax is not suppressing the deal flow in general financing transactions,” says Booth. “I think we’ve had a really good deal flow and there’s been some pretty good bank appetite post-GFC.” But the project finance space hasn’t been as fortunate, according to Freehills partner Brendan Quinn, who has observed the impediments to investment that have eventuated as a result of the Federal Government’s lack of direction concerning the proposed carbon pricing scheme. “The power sector has been dominated by a lack of certainty. That lack of certainty as to whether we will have a carbon tax – and, if so, what form it will take – is retarding new

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investment in the sector as well as presenting real challenges for the refinancing of existing assets, particularly coal-fired assets,” he says. “There are certainly some deals being done in the renewable sector. There’s been a few – we’ve acted on the last two or three wind farms done in the market – but there’s probably another couple of dozen in the pipeline, so there’s a large number waiting for REC [renewable energy certificate] prices to improve.” Aside from the uncertainty within the power sector, Booth says the general corporate finance space has experienced a significant level of activity, with the market dominated by a combination of new deals and refinancings this year. “One area where there has been a lot of activity in terms of new deals has been demergers. There are two in the marketplace at the moment – the Tabcorp and Foster’s demergers,” says Booth, whose team acted on the bank group for both. “We’ve also seen a range of refinancings and new syndicated refinancings... There has been a return to underwritten syndicated deals.” According to Blake Dawson partner Paul Jenkins, 2011 has seen a revival in new lending activity, with approximately $80 billion worth of loans in need of refinancing. “That’s all coming through the market and we’re seeing a resurgence in corporate finance activity as well as leveraged finance,” he says. “There is now a renewed confidence in the economy. People are seeing that asset prices are reasonably inexpensive and the banks are starting to lend again, which they were reluctant to do in 2009 and 2010.”

“One area where there has been a lot of activity in terms of new deals has been demergers” andrew bOOth, partner, freehills

register for security interests, the introduction of the Act has sent banking and finance lawyers scrambling to properly prepare themselves and their clients for what will be a fundamental reform impacting a number of businesses across many different industries. “The PPSA is changing how security interests are formed and how they are enforced, but it’s really changing all the security aspects of our practice,” explains Jenkins. “It’s a significant change for us and a significant change for our clients. We’re currently acting for 11 financial institutions, so it’s a big area for us in terms of assessing how those changes will impact on them, changing their documentation, changing their procedures – all in anticipation of the October start date.” While New Zealand and Canada enacted similar legislation years ago, Jenkins says the Australian reforms are complex despite the intended outcome of streamlining existing regulations. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a good change, but it’s quite a complex change

On the domestic front In October, Australia’s Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (PPSA) is set to commence after its May 2011 start date was postponed as a result of industry requests for more time to prepare – a request formally endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments Business Regulation and Competition Working Group in February 2011. Enacted in 2009 to replace a complex system of about 70 existing laws, and to create a single

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practiceprofile “There is now a renewed confidence in the economy ... and the banks are starting to lend again”

“That lack of certainty as to whether we will have a carbon tax is retarding new investment in the power sector ”

“everybody is still trying to work out the practical implications of the PPSA”

paul jenkIns, parTner, blake dawson

brendan quInn, parTner, freehIlls

bryan paIsley, parTner, baker & mckenzIe

to our existing law,” he says. “It was intended to streamline and make the process of taking security more consistent and easier. But in effect it is actually quite a complicated change and will take a lot of time to bed down.” While the Act will undoubtedly have a major impact on banks, the new requirements for registration of security interests will also affect the corporate sector, particularly with respect to retention of title arrangements for suppliers, joint venture agreements and equipment hire companies. “Everybody is still trying to work out the practical implications of the PPSA and how those are going to play out,” says Paisley, who has been working extensively with his logistics clients in the equipment rental sector to decipher the implications. “The market is developing a consensus as to how it’s addressed upfront, but the banks are well on top of it. It’s actually going to have the biggest implications for the people who don’t think it’s going to affect them, but

banks and banking and finance lawyers are all over it like a rash.”

International developments Adding to the significant overhaul of the Australian regulatory framework will be the global financial reforms set to take place with respect to the introduction of new capital and liquidity standards for banks. Introduced as a protection measure in the wake of the liquidity shocks that took place during the global financial crisis, in December 2010 the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision announced plans to implement new bank capital and liquidity standards as part of the global financial reform agenda presented to the G20 Leaders’ Summit that took place in Seoul in November last year. “The agreements reached today are a fundamental strengthening of global capital standards,” said Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank and chairman of the Group of Governors and

If there’s one thing business dislikes, it’s uncertainty”

Heads of Supervision [the oversight body of the Basel Committee], on 12 September 2010. “Their contribution to long-term financial stability and growth will be substantial. The transition arrangements will enable banks to meet the new standards while supporting the economic recovery.” The new measures are aimed at improving the global banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress – no matter what the source – with their introduction causing a substantial degree of concern among different countries as to what the true impact will be. With the implementation phase of the new capital and liquidity requirements set to begin from January 2013, members of the Australian banking and finance industry now face a period of preparation as they attempt to meet the new requirements – a particularly difficult task for Australia given its relatively low levels of government debt. “The main issue that the regulators are looking into is government securities. That has proven quite challenging for Australian banks due to the relatively low level of federal, and to some degree state, government debt,” says Paisley. “There are diverging views as to the implications the Basel III requirements may have for banking lending and overall economic growth, but Australian banks are perceived to be very well capitalised, so there’s an overall consensus that they will not need to do any additional capital raising under Basel III,” he adds. “However, Basel III is still a long way off. It’s still very much at the macro level. The bankers know it’s coming, but they don’t know yet what the impact is going to be.” Paisley says the liquidity requirements introduced under Basel III represent a somewhat unique development, indicative of how significant the issue of liquidity has become since the global financial crisis and the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the Icelandic banks. “Liquidity is a huge issue in times of stress and there really hasn’t been any global regulation of that kind. What will be interesting is the types of potentially unintended consequences that those sorts of global capital regulations may have.” lw

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coverstory

Candidly Catherine From law student to Crown solicitor, Federal Court judge to Human Rights Commissioner, Catherine Branson QC has helped forge a path for women in the legal profession. She opens up to Claire Chaffey about breaking the glass ceiling Photography by Rebecca Whalen

For Lawyers Weekly’s exclusive video interview with Catherine Branson, go to www.lawyersweekly.com.au

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hen a young Catherine Branson began studying law at the University of Adelaide in the late 1960s, the world was a very different place. Men ruled the roost from a hauteur known by very few women; studying law was viewed as a privilege reserved largely for upper-class males; and attitudes towards women who dared venture into the closed world of law teetered between misguided condescension and downright disparagement. Branson’s own family, for one, thought her attainment of a law degree would be a terrific advantage when she eventually took up a position as a legal secretary – until, of course, she found herself a suitable husband and left the workforce altogether. However, just one year before Branson commenced her law degree, fellow South Australian Roma Mitchell did the unthinkable: she was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, thus becoming the first woman in Australia’s history to join the judiciary. New South Welshwoman Mary Gaudron was also blazing a trail through the legal profession and, in the late ’60s, was making a name for herself at the staunchly male NSW Bar, despite facing significant gender-related barriers (she would, in 1987, go on to be appointed the country’s first-ever female justice of the High Court of Australia). For Branson, both women were living, breathing proof that gender discrimination in the unapologetically traditional and male-dominated legal profession could be overcome. Her admiration for Mitchell and Gaudron also compelled her to take gender-driven aspersions in her stride as she progressed from law student to articled clerk and, in 1973, went into private practice. “I still remember, and smile about, being introduced by my principal, when I was an articled clerk, to a leading member of a long-established Adelaide law firm. He was expressing astonishment to find out that I was an articled clerk, and not just a clerk,” recounts Branson. “He asked whether I had a law degree. I said that I had, and indeed had nearly finished an arts degree as well. Immediately he expostulated, ‘My gosh, your parents have wasted a lot of money on your education, haven’t they?’”

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coverstory

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coverstory

“… a leading member of a long-established Adelaide law firm was expressing astonishment to find out that I was an articled clerk, and not just a clerk”

rising through the ranks While Gaudron and Mitchell were among her heroes, Branson says her career advancement was helped by a small number of male mentors who demonstrated confidence in her and helped her to develop skills as an advocate. According to Branson, these mentors surfaced when she left private practice, completed her arts degree and, in 1976, entered the more liberal world of the public sector. “It is fair to say that my career blossomed in the public sector because, generally speaking, the public sector accepted the need for, and indeed the benefits of, equal employment opportunity well ahead of the private legal profession,” she says. “It is also fair to say that whilst young men were assumed to be competent, a young woman, at that time, had to establish some evidence of competence to get to the same starting position.” That starting position for Branson – in the public sector, at least – was a role as researcher for the solicitor-general of South Australia, which she commenced in 1976. Here Branson was taught, and became fascinated by, the concept of the relationship between citizen and state and the importance of law and legal principle to the proper understanding of that relationship. Branson says the solicitor-general at the time, Brian Cox QC, also taught her “the importance of thorough preparation and the setting of high standards for oneself in all things” – something that has stayed with Branson throughout her career. In 1978, she began working as a solicitor in the Office of the Crown Solicitor of South Australia. According to Branson, it was the confidence the then Crown solicitor, Graham Prior QC, showed in her as a lawyer that allowed her to develop greater self-confidence and hone her skills as an advocate. Ultimately, though, it was South Australian attorney-general Chris Sumner who set Branson on a path that would define her career. In 1984, Sumner appointed Branson, who was by then 35 years of age, to the dual positions of Crown solicitor of South Australia and secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department. While delighted, Branson admits she was somewhat taken aback by the offer. “It was not an office I had ever expected to fill, and the offer to take up that appointment whilst so young came entirely out of the blue,” she says. “And, I suspect, it transformed my later career.” Branson’s later career would include an appointment as Queen’s Counsel in 1992 and her ascension to the bench of the Federal Court in 1994. She is aware that at the time of her appointment to the position of Crown solicitor, critics attributed her rise to the fact that she is a woman. While she disputes this, she does acknowledge that, as attitudes and expectations changed over the years, her gender may have eventually become advantageous. “Contrary to many people, I don’t think I was appointed Crown

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solicitor because I was female. There were other reasons for that,” she says. “But I probably was appointed to the Federal Court bench earlier than I would have been had I been a man. I thought it appropriate to accept the appointment in those circumstances because of the very real public value I then thought there was in having more women in our superior courts.”

a trusted adviser Whatever challenges Branson may have faced early in her career, they proved to be no real impediment to the numerous prestigious positions she has occupied within the legal profession. Of all her appointments, however, that of Crown solicitor still tops her long list of career highlights. “The appointment as Crown solicitor was [very important to me], not just because the Crown Solicitor’s Office was the largest law firm in South Australia at the time, but because of the very special and heavy responsibilities on those who provide legal advice to government,” she says. Such responsibilities obviously appeal to Branson and, after 14 years on the bench of the Federal Court, she once again bears the burden of providing advice to government in her role as president of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), which she commenced in 2008, and as Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner.

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coverstory

Opposite page, top left: A young Catherine Branson; (left) with former SA attorneygeneral Chris Sumner in 1984.

“I feel extremely privileged to hold these positions and am very conscious that they come with heavy responsibilities,” she says. “One of the reasons I feel so privileged to hold them is because it is a fortunate person who can work somewhere where the institutional roles mirror their own personal values and beliefs.” These values and beliefs, says Branson, are largely based on principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “I am a person who is intellectually persuaded by the truth of the preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is that recognition of the inherent dignity, and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family, is the foundation of freedom and justice and peace in the world,” she says. “Heavy responsibility comes from leading the commission and, as Australia’s national human rights institution, the AHRC has an important role to play in our democracy as one of the public institutions that can hold government to account by monitoring government action and evaluating that action against internationally accepted human rights standards.”

Bittersweet battles For Branson, heading up the AHRC is at once sorrowful, joyful and, at times, extremely difficult. One of the primary hurdles, she says, is striking a balance between independence, especially from government, and the constant battle for funding. “Managing independence from government is a particular challenge because we are dependent on government for funding, so we tread this difficult line in that we have an important role to monitor and, on occasions, criticise government decisions and policies, and we don’t hold back from doing that,” she says. “But ultimately, if we alienate ourselves entirely from government, our independence will be of little value, because if our funding is cut dramatically there will be a real limit on what we can do. Managing that nuanced form of independence is a very significant challenge.” Branson is driven to overcome these difficulties by the positive outcomes the AHRC has been able to achieve for those in the community who are disadvantage or marginalised. “There is great joy in meeting people who, in some way or another, feel that their life is better because of the work of the AHRC,” she says. “I have spoken with a young man after he, for the first time, was able to go to a football match by himself in his wheelchair because a train line to Homebush had been made accessible to people with mobility problems. I have seen an Aboriginal elder in tears because of the validation he felt from our public criticism of the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act, and the courage he gained from it to continue what he was doing because we stood by him in criticising the Northern Territory intervention. “These things give me enormous joy. We hear an awful lot of

sad – if not desperate – stories, and mix with a lot of people who are vulnerable, who are marginalised and who are not having their rights respected. So it’s wonderful to have the joy of meeting someone on whose life we have had a positive impact.”

leading the way When it comes to the leadership required to have such an impact, Branson believes there are two distinct types. “I think of leadership in two separate ways: institutional leadership, which is my role as the leader of the AHRC, and then personal leadership,” she says. “For good institutional leadership, you have to have a clear idea in your own mind of what a truly effective organisation would look like. You also have to have a practical sense of what is necessary to move the organisation you lead to the one you clearly envisage.” At the heart of personal leadership, claims Branson, is putting into action what you say you stand for, and providing a role model for not only your employees but for the wider community. “It involves demonstrating that you take your work seriously, that you do it with intellectual integrity, that you are guided by principle,” she says. “You need to recognise that good things often are achieved incrementally, show through your own conduct respect for others, respect for hard work, respect for good process, the capacity to learn from mistakes, the capacity to defer to the opinions of others, to listen, to treat them with respect, and take on board what they say.” However, where there is a need for effective leadership, Branson is wary of factors that might impede logic and reason. “I am slightly suspicious of the modern enthusiasm for passion,” she says. “I think there are places in your life to feel passion, but in the workplace, in the work that I do, I tend to think of passion as being the opposite of reason. “I am motivated in what I do in this area, and in previous areas of my working life, by an intellectual commitment to the importance of what I am doing. I think in human rights, that is an important thing.”

an ambitious agenda On 14 October 2013, Branson will have completed her five-year term as president of the AHRC. Until that time, however, there is plenty of work to be done – even if Australia’s human rights situation is, compared with many other parts of the world, quite favourable. “We are lucky to live in Australia. For most of us, it is a great country where our rights are broadly respected. The current state of human rights in Australia is pretty good, but we can do better,” says Branson. “We need to reduce the levels of violence, harassment and bullying across our community, and improve the educational and health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and ensure they have acceptable standards of housing. We need to build on our proud history of multiculturalism and ensure that communities whose roots in Australia are shallower than those who have been with us longer become the success stories that earlier waves of migration have become. We need to reduce the economic disadvantage of women, and increase the involvement of women in our economy and in public life generally. “We need, in short, to build a much better human rights culture in this country. Because we are a stable, relatively prosperous, democratic nation, we can aspire higher so far as human rights are concerned, and I think we should do so.” lw

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bestpractice

Precious time The ticking clock can be a law firm’s biggest asset – or enemy, writes John Gray

he focus on recording and billing as much time as possible each day has made lawyers some of the most time-sensitive people on the planet. It’s surprising, then, that we don’t place more importance on the value of our clients’ time as part of a firm marketing and client relations strategy. Everyone knows how frustrating it is to be kept waiting. Client surveys by law firms continually rank “timeliness” or “availability” in the top five factors for client satisfaction. We all agonise over fees, particularly those who work in personal service areas, but often our clients are more annoyed by how long they are kept waiting in reception or how long a return phone call takes than they are by the fees charged. If you can show your clients that you value their time as highly as you value your own, they will certainly appreciate it – and this will provide a solid foundation for your other marketing efforts.

Time management tips: 1. Be realistic about your appointment times. It’s better to set a meeting 30 minutes later at the outset than to leave a client waiting. Ensure that anyone who books the meetings understands how long they can run. 2. Try to avoid showing one client out the door while the other one sits in reception. It might make you look busy, but that second client will know you’re probably not prepared for their meeting. 3. Be precise about times for returning calls. Don’t give false expectations with: “She’ll call you back as soon as possible.” To an agitated client, it might create an expectation that they should be sitting by the phone, when the reality might be that the call definitely won’t be returned for an hour or more. Where possible, an alternative might be to say: “She’s in a meeting and won’t be able to return your call any earlier than…” If the client’s expectation is set correctly, it will

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bestpractice Surveys by law firms continually rank “timeliness” or “availability” in the top five factors for client satisfaction” john gray, director, john gray marketing

help ease their anxiety and make the eventual conversation that much easier. 4. Put the client’s time in context. This can help when you have multiple calls to return and need to prioritise. A client interested in booking an estate planning meeting might be able to wait longer for a return call before the anxiety rises than a person who’s called for advice on child access, with their former spouse standing at their front door. 5. Take responsibility for the return call. If any member of your team has made a commitment to a client about a return call and they know it can’t be met, make sure someone calls to give an update. 6. If clients do have to wait in reception, keep them occupied in appropriate ways with reading materials that match your client profile – and preferably written this century! Offering clients quality coffee, a range of teas, cold drinks and biscuits or lollies will also go along way to keeping them happy. Interesting, educational firm publications are also useful for clients. Don’t underestimate the value of educating your clients on your other services and what they can expect from their relationship with your firm. And for new clients, consider asking them to complete a “client details” form.

7. If your clients most often call during particular times, ensure you have the phone reception resources in place to meet demand. Many small firms simply can’t guarantee that they will meet the “answered in three rings” target. But it’s still worth aiming for. 8. Check your hold music. Some firms have been known to go months without realising the continuously looping CD player has died. Or they took a messages-on-hold option that simply annoys instead of informing. 9. Track and manage your firm’s performance. Recording how long clients are left waiting in reception is a start. But don’t use this to beat up the lawyer. Consider how your processes or systems might make it easier for them to be ready on time. It can help to avoid back-to-back meetings, schedule meeting preparation time, and have legal assistants prepare files in anticipation of meetings without being asked. 10. Always acknowledge when the client has been kept waiting. Pretending it didn’t happen won’t soothe your client – but an apology might. 11. Lead from the front! If it’s your firm and you want your staff to treat your clients’ time like it’s a precious commodity you must set the example. The good news is that most of these suggestions can be implemented quickly and easily. A little bit of time spent demonstrating that you value your clients’ time will go a long way to maintaining and cementing the relationship – which in turn will lead to repeat business and a greater chance of referrals. Lawyer and law firm marketing consultant John Gray is the director of John Gray Marketing.

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thoughtleadership

eminent failure Australian law firms are lagging behind their international counterparts on thought leadership – a missed business opportunity, warns Craig Badings

n the professional services sector, thought leadership is about building eminence – as a partner, in the practice area and for your brand. For more than 10 years, professional services firms outside the legal sector – notably the management consultancies – have been using thought leadership to build their eminence. They have become very good at it and are singularly focused on using it to support their business objectives. Specifically, though, these firms have shown that thought leadership is successful when it is about opening doors and enabling clientfacing employees to engage with prospects and clients in ways that showcase a deeper understanding than normal of client/sector issues and challenges. In the process, thought leadership can also provide a clear differentiator for the firm or areas within a firm, positioning the team as the “go-to” experts in their field. So how are Australian law firms doing in this space? On one level, there are some great pockets of thought leadership. However, there is a lot of content sameness emerging from private practice. In some instances there is very little, if any, thought leadership and not much content provided for clients and curious legal onlookers.

The verdict from australian law firms Recent discussions with law firm representatives revealed that thought leadership across Australian legal firms is still in its infancy, that it is generally ad hoc and that it doesn’t have, as yet, the required business planning, time and resources. The message from Australian law firms is clear: their thought leadership is “...unsophisticated; we’re not nearly there yet”. The reasons given are wide and varied and include, among others factors, notions such as: “Partners often have competing interests” “Our partners are more like media champions than thought leaders” “Most lawyers are reticent to stick their necks out” “We worry about upsetting clients” “It’s a time issue – the billable hour is king”

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“I don’t think the partners have seen the benefit of thought leadership yet” “There’s a feeling we’re giving our intellectual property away” These reasons for failed thought leadership in law firms are unsurprising and nothing new. More than 10 years ago, other professional services firms were having the same debate. The difference is that these firms now have sophisticated thought leadership and content management strategies in place with clear criteria to measure the benefits. From a pure web presence in terms of content and thought leadership, good examples are the recently launched McKinsey Solutions (solutions. mckinsey.com/catalog) and McKinsey What Matters websites (whatmatters.mckinseydigital. com/authors).

Global firms well ahead Although Australian law firms have some work to do when it comes to thought leadership, a quick, online analysis of a number of international law firms reveal some refreshing trends. Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie, Skadden, Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Freshfields all have, to

varying degrees, embraced thought leadership content as a differentiator in the legal market and a way of owning a space. Take, for example, Linklaters’ “Year in Review” and “The Year to Come”, both of which summarise major developments in English law and expectations for the year ahead. The firm also features a series called “Hot Topics”, which hosts papers across wide-ranging issues. Freshfields, meanwhile, has what it calls “Briefings”, or papers on various issues. It also has a separate microsite called Mobile Matters (www.mobile-matters.com), a discussion space for all things mobile and one of the legal profession’s best examples of thought leadership. In addition, it has collaborated with the Economist Intelligence Unit to report on the opportunities and risks in Africa for the extractives industry. Although these law firms have demonstrated great thought leadership, there’s one problem – best illustrated by a quote from Kenneth Blanchard, author of more than 50 books including The One Minute Manager. He said: “You can have the greatest, most innovative thoughts in the world but if nobody hears about them they’re worth squat.” And therein lies the issue with the thought leadership generated by Linklaters and Freshfields. You have to search and sift through layers of data to find their material.

Make thought leadership shine One simple way to get around this problem is to ensure that thought leadership is front and centre on a business website. Clifford Chance provides an excellent example. The firm has great scrolling content blocks, positioned big and bold across its front page. It also has a very impressive webinar series covering numerous topics and featuring panels and interviews with third parties. In fact, the firm labels it their “thought leadership impetus”. Topics include remuneration reform in the financial services industry, trends in M&A, cross-border tactics in takeovers and inbound investment in China. Allen & Overy also provides thought leadership slap-bang on its front page via a series called “Insights”, which allows you to search

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thoughtleadership

Content management and thought leadership is the new legal frontier for showcasing the expertise of partners and practice areas”

by topic, country and practice area, or using a search term. The firm has made it very easy. Skadden has also been successful in this regard. The firm’s homepage boldly lists its “2011 Insights”, an annual edition of critical legal issues clients will face in the year ahead across key areas such as governance, M&A, capital markets, corporate restructuring, financial regulation and global litigation. Over on the Baker & McKenzie site, the firm provides a large, scrolling title block with different headers that, when clicked, take the reader to some excellent content. The first drop-down box on the homepage is titled “Supporting your business” – so

untypical of the “me” language (About us”, “Our services”) found on most websites. When all is said and done, the big driver for successful thought leadership material is to get in front of clients and prospects and to hold conversations/debates you otherwise would not have had. Hosting thought leadership content on your website is one thing; what you do with it behind the scenes with your prospects and clients is an entirely different matter. A simple methodology to manage your content will make a huge difference to how well you can activate and leverage your content. It should cover a content strategy

and curation, a content distribution strategy that optimises content wherever it touches clients and/or potential prospects, and that is also evaluated against set objectives. Content management and thought leadership is the new legal frontier for showcasing the expertise of partners and practice areas. Those who ignore it will lag behind the competition and struggle to differentiate themselves. LW Craig Badings is a director of Cannings Corporate Communications. This is an edited extract of an address he recently gave to the 4th Managing Partners Summit in Queensland on “What do you want to be famous for?”

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career

counsel

rules of engagement Law firms are yet to master effective strategies to engage staff. Building relationships is a good start, reports Briana Everett DESPITE THE elevation of employee engagement to top strategic objective, law firms are still struggling to shift engagement levels upwards – a factor that is affecting their ability to retain staff. “Lawyers are certainly looking to move more than ever given the stability in the Australian market,” says Carlyle Perring senior consultant Belinda Fisher. “The main reasons are first and foremost to progress their career and challenge themselves. The second and third reasons are mentoring and remuneration. The three things that lawyers want are mastery, autonomy and purpose.” A 2011 BlessingWhite Employee Engagement Report – which surveyed nearly 11,000 individuals across North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand – revealed that engagement levels have increased worldwide since the GFC. However, less than one-third of employees are actually engaged and more are looking for new opportunities in 2011 – suggesting that existing engagement strategies are not hitting the mark. According to the report, managers are not doing the things that matter the most. It recommends they focus more on relationshipbuilding rather than their actual skills or actions. “Employees’ knowledge of their managers as ‘people’ behind their title appears to impact engagement levels more than manager actions.”

In addition, the report notes that despite their increased efforts, executives find it difficult to engage with their employees. “Executives appear to struggle with key leadership behaviours correlated to engagement, yet our findings suggest executive behaviours can have a greater potential impact on engagement than manager actions,” states the report. What this means is that “executives aren’t getting the basics of performance right”. According to Fisher, law firms could do more to address the employee engagement and retention, particularly with regards to career progression and ownership of work. “Employers need to show their staff that they trust them to do their job by allowing them to take ownership of their work,” she says. “Thank your employees or praise them in front of their peers when they exceed expectations and see your employees as individuals – not just as part of a broader team of workers.” Fisher adds that law firm managers should help their lawyers to develop their skills for the next stage of their career, in addition to CLE. “A lack of training can cause bright and ambitious team members to feel unfulfilled for a lack of professional challenges,” she says. “Law firms need to treat their lawyers as assets and not dispensable commodities.”

next move

With Kieran Wrafter, senior consultant, Randstad Legal

Q A

I’ve been advised to prepare for a job interview. What does this mean and why is it important?

Feedback from clients suggests they decline candidates due to their lack of enthusiasm or interest in the role or their organisation at the interview stage. This is often due to poor preparation and, in a competitive market, can be the deciding factor in getting the role. The interview is your one opportunity to “sell” yourself and exhibit not only your technical capability and personality, but also your level of enthusiasm and interest for the position and the firm. The key, then, to ensuring your success comes down to preparation. Take

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the time to research the company, review the position description and formulate a list of relevant and insightful questions. These can be asked during the interview and should relate to the role, the team/ department, your manager as well as the organisation as a whole. This will give you confidence when responding to questions and demonstrates your initiative and level of interest. Remember, this is as much an interview about you as it is about them. It’s therefore essential that you leave no doubt in the mind of the potential employer of your capability and interest in the role, and that you have gained sufficient information to enable you to make an informed decision as to whether the role, and the firm, is the “right fit” for you.

Executives aren’t getting the basics of performance right”

27 % 14 %

of full-time workers reported feeling bullied in the workplace, with the majority neither confronting nor reporting the bullying of workers felt bullied by their immediate supervisor and 11% by a co-worker

SOURCE: CAREERBUILDER.COM

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folk

law

Red screen of shame for poor billers THERE’S NOWHERE to hide for unprofitable lawyers at one London-based law firm where a lawyer’s poor billing record literally stares them in the face. As reported by RollOnFriday, lawyers at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) can tell who is pulling their weight from the colour of their colleagues’ computer screens. According to RollOnFriday, an insider reportedly complained that RPC has implemented a program that changes the colour of associates’ computer screens, depending on their level of profitability. A red screen is obviously not so good, and means the lawyer is losing the firm money, while yellow signifies they’re coasting along OK but could do better. Those staring at a green

screen can look forward to a few long lunches with the partners some time soon. Unfortunately for those not hitting the big numbers, their red screens are viewable by all within the firm’s open-plan office. Despite the public display of a lawyer’s profitability – or lack thereof – a spokesperson for the firm confirmed to RollonFriday that colour-coding was used, but explained that the system is designed to enable lawyers to “develop their commerciality and understand the work they’re doing and the amount of time they’re spending on it”, rather than embarrass unprofitable staff in front of their colleagues. Folklaw is thankful that journalists’ screens don’t light up to reveal their lack of progress on a story as deadline approaches.

Lohan’s lawyer a sucker for punishment She’s back! Celebrity lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley is back representing Lindsay Lohan. Holley – who lists among her clients celebrities the “calibre” of Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Axl Rose – has been reunited with Lohan following the tempestuous actress’s court appearance on 21 April in California, after being charged with felony grand theft over her alleged pocketing of a $2500 necklace. As reported by Folklaw in July last year, Holley raised a blow for unappreciated lawyers the world over when she stopped acting for Lohan after she discovered her soliciting (pun intended) for another lawyer. While Holley and Lohan might be a legal item again, it seems absence has not made the heart

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grow fonder. According to celebrity news site The Gossip Wire, Lohan views her latest trial as a great source of merriment, with Holley being particularly amusing. Lohan reportedly laughed at Holley when she asked the court transcriber, rather than the judge, to repeat a question. While The Gossip Wire left unanswered the question of whether the errant question was transcribed, and presumably any response the transcriber made, it did report that Lohan continued to laugh when her lawyer called witnesses to the stand. Holley was also a hit with the gallery. When she asked the jewellery store owner why he needed cameras in his store, he replied “because of theft”. This had the courtroom, with the noted exception of Lohan on this occasion, erupting into laughter. Folklaw thinks Holley should never have taken the troubled “star” back. Lohan’s trial continues.

Divorce lawyer hands down verdict on royal marriage A leading British divorce lawyer does not expect to see either William or Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as clients. Writing in The Huffington Post, Ayesha Vardag said she has a “good feeling” about the long-term prospects of the newly married royal couple. “The British public and the world at large are rooting for the happy couple and wish them a long, successful marriage,” Vardag wrote in a touching and selfless moment. While Vardag, like much of the rest of Britain, is putting public service cuts and trifling issues such as foreign intervention in Libya to one side and getting all misty-eyed over the royal nuptials, she is confident the “organic development” of Will and Kate’s relationship means it will not be one of the 40-odd per cent of British marriages that end in divorce. “For Wills and Kate the signs are hopeful,” she wrote. “Their relationship is in many ways (save for the royal titles) a classic romance, but it is distinguished by a hard edge of reality and the test of time.” Vardag runs her own matrimony practice and was involved in a celebrated case in 2009 in which she successfully acted for German heiress Katrin Radmacher in a Court of Appeal ruling that prenuptial agreements should be taken into account when dividing assets in a divorce. Vardag certainly has empathy for her clients; she left the bar to become a divorce lawyer after she was poached by the lawyer running her own divorce matter, and hasn’t looked back since. In a 2009 interview with The Times, she described her worst day at work: “running around on my own at 3am in Linklaters’ offices in Moscow, seven months pregnant with a toddler at home, trying to come up with structures to get around a World Bank negative pledge on a diamond mine financing, to stop a deal derailing.” Folklaw can’t understand why she left. Although Folklaw didn’t see the royal wedding telecast – choosing instead to watch the mighty Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs do battle against the Brisbane Broncos – like Vardag, it wishes the prospective King and Queen well.

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Andrew Murdoch In-House Sydney

taylorroot.com.au

Australia Commercial/Energy

Melbourne

Property

Canberra

Family

Melbourne

Australian organisation seeks a mid-level commercial lawyer to manage its legal work. Working on a broad range of commercial advisory and energy matters, this role will be rewarded with senior management involvement and a competitive salary. Great first inhouse role. Ref: 644125. 4-7 years

Superb opportunities with one of the top-tier firms in the capital for junior and senior property lawyers. Fantastic career opportunities and quality of work on offer across private and government clients. Happy to see property lawyers out of the public sector. Ref: 643426. 2-7 years

This Melbourne practice with an outstanding reputation for a collegiate culture is seeking to hire an experienced family lawyer with between 3-6 years’ PAE. A rare city role with this commercial firm. A great opportunity with a great firm. Apply now. Ref: 644123. 3-6 years

Commercial Property

Litigation

Contract Manager

Sydney

Adelaide

Sydney

Headed up by three partners, this growing team has a need for a new SA as they continue to expand. Handling complex, large scale development work, you will be assured of a challenge and career development scope. Superb salary is on offer. Apply now for more information. Ref: 641656. SA

Fantastic opportunity for a senior litigation lawyer to join one of Adelaide’s leading litigation firms. Superb role for those coming out of a larger firm and looking for a change in environment. Fantastic range of work across commercial and finance litigation. Excellent salaries on offer. Ref: 642339. 2-5 years

Looking for a more commercial, business facing role? This global technology company seeks an experienced contracts manager/commercial lawyer to join its cutting edge team. In this pivitol role you will work closely with the business on complex technology outsourcing deals. Ref: 644070. 2+ years

Workplace Relations

Biotech/Pharma

Funds/Financial Services

Sydney

Seeking a 3-5 year WR specialist, this leading CBD heavy weight has a terrific role available working with a young, skilled partner. Offering exposure to all areas of employment law, the firm offers leading training and development, salaries and bonuses. Ref: 458884. 3-5 years

Melbourne

Sydney

This national/international practice based in Melbourne has a need at the mid-level for a corporate/ commercial lawyer to join this premier life sciences practice. Candidates with an IT background are also of interest. Apply now for more information. Ref: 644115. 3-4 years

Top-tier global asset management business seeks a talented lawyer for broad role. You will be involved in setting up of funds, asset management, investment management, product development, IMA’s, offer documentation and corporate & regulatory advice. Ref: 644071. 2-5 years

ISDA Negotiator

Corporate/Commercial

International Asset Finance

London

Hong Kong

Dubai

Join this highly respected asset finance team, acting for all parties involved in financing transactions. You will work on a broad range of assets including: aircraft, shipping, rail, real estate, power generation, telecommunications and intellectual property. TopCity salaries paid. Ref: 827920. 3+ years

Leading banking organisation requires a candidate with around 3-5 years’ relevant experience to negotiate, review and support the ISDA documentation function in Asia. The role requires someone comfortable with a high degree of autonomy. Chinese language skills are not essential. Ref: 149200. 3-5 years

This renowned local holding company with diversified interests across a range of sectors, including hospitality and construction, is looking for an additional hire to support the highly-regarded GC. Strong law firm experience and commercial contracts expertise a must. Ref: 23493. 5-7 years

Debt Capital Markets

Corporate/Funds

Project Finance/Power

Hong Kong

Cayman

Dubai

This international firm is looking to grow its structured finance and derivatives practice. Candidates should have general finance and/or capital markets experience. Chinese language skills are not required. The role offers opportunities for career advancement as well as a top salary. Ref: 147100. 3-6 years

A group of top flight lawyers working on the best fund-related work in Cayman. The firm has a brand that is synonymous with quality and is at an exciting stage in its evolution. You will be a corporate or a funds lawyer with a City firm. Work/life balance, tax free in the sun. Ref: 752740. 3+ years

Our client is a major multi-national company with expertise in the energy, power and infrastructure industry. It seeks a junior to mid-level project finance lawyer with power experience to come on board and help run its large international transactions. Fantastic role. Ref: 23843. 3-6 years

Treasury Services

Corporate and/or Finance

Commercial Lit/Arbitration

Singapore

Renowned US investment bank seeks legal counsel to cover treasury services in Singapore. Reporting into the wider treasury team in Hong Kong, this role will cover cash management, trade finance, payment and liquidity management services. Relevant experience essential. Ref: 123201. 7+ years

Guernsey

Guernsey is an idyllic Anglo-French experience and a great place to live and work. Bright transactional lawyers who are keen to explore interesting offshore work and who are looking for a work/life balance with City rewards in a low tax haven should think about this seriously. Ref: 792210. 2-7+ years

Dubai

This leading dispute resolution team has a stream of new instructions across the commercial litigation and arbitration space. It is looking for a strong junior lawyer with 1-3 years’ experience to join its inclusive department. Great work, good team ethic. Ref: 23503. 1-3 years

For International roles, call Karlie Connellan on +61 (0)2 9236 9000 or email karlieconnellan@taylorroot.com.au For Australian Private Practice roles, call Matt Harris on +61 (0)2 9236 9000 or email mattharris@taylorroot.com.au For Australian In-House roles, call Brian Rollo on +61 (0)2 9236 9000 or email brianrollo@taylorroot.com.au THE SR GROUP . BREWER MORRIS . CARTER MURRAY . FRAZER JONES . PARKER WELLS . SR SEARCH . TAYLOR ROOT LONDON . DUBAI . HONG KONG . SINGAPORE . SYDNEY . MELBOURNE