Despite the array of opportunities made available by the spread of global firms, Australian firms with offices in London provide another option for Australian lawyers seeking the London experience.

Australian national firms such as Minter Ellison and Mallesons Stephen Jaques have had a presence in London for many years, allowing Australian lawyers to work in London while practising both Australian and English law.

"We're here basically to provide Australian law advice to the London market. Given the size of the London market, there is a lot of referral work that comes through," says London-based Minter Ellison partner Nigel Clark, who works with a predominantly Australian team of seven lawyers practising in the corporate and finance space.

"We do a lot of referral work for the UK and US firms in London and we also do what we call 'hand-holding' for the major Minter Ellison clients coming in ... We have relationships with a number of our clients here and do bits and pieces for them."

But while over the years these offices have developed close-knit ties with the local firms of London, the presence of global firms in Australia has changed this dynamic.

"We do work closely with the local firms. Until probably two years ago, we worked with all of the major firms," explains London-based Australian lawyer Robert Hanley - the partner-in-charge at Mallesons.

"But these days, since Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Norton Rose have opened up in Australia we naturally don't get as many referrals. We still get some, interestingly enough, but obviously to the extent that they can direct them to their own Australian offices, they will do that. As a result, I think it's fair to say our relationship with firms like Freshfields and Linklaters has strengthened quite a bit."

"I very much enjoy, the kind of entrepreneurial role that you get in a small office"

Nigel Clark, Minter Ellison, London

As with most London firms, the Australian firms operating in London - which house mainly transactional lawyers - are still feeling the pinch of the recession. However, the work is starting to pick up.

"Our team has varied between six and 12 lawyers," says Clark. "Clearly London has suffered hugely from the global financial crisis but it's actually picked up quite a bit in the last six months."

"We do work closely with the local firms. Until probably two years ago, we worked with all of the major firms"

Robert Hanley, partner-in-charge, Mallesons Stephen Jaques

As for working in the London branch of an Australian firm, it provides a number of advantages, according to Clark.

"I very much enjoy, from a personal perspective, the kind of entrepreneurial role that you get in a small office," says Clark, whose role includes managing the firm's relationships with local London firms as well as recruitment for the practice.

"There's a lot of business development work and I enjoy that. I think anyone who works in a smaller office of a major firm would say they're out of the office a lot meeting people and I enjoy that side of it."

Agreeing with Clark, Hanley points out the advantages of working within a small team while also having the back up of a national firm and its resources, if needed.

Another benefit, adds Hanley, is that lawyers in his office practice both Australian and English law and must remain up-to-date with changes in law within each jurisdiction, noting that a huge amount of the legal work done across Asia is governed by English law.

"Unlike the major firms here, which are obviously huge in size, we spend half our life practising Australian law and practising English law."

London Report 2011

>> London Report 2011: How to land a role in London

>> London Report 2011: Global firms as stepping stones to the UK

>> London Report 2011: Taking the 'homegrown' route to London

>> London Report 2011: What to expect when you get there... and when you return home