The definitions of what constitutes top, mid and small tiers of law are changing, writes Claire Chaffey, but finding a general consensus on which law firms fit where may simply be impossible.
Mallesons Stephen Jaques has topped both the Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters mergers and acquisitions league tables for the first quarter of 2010.
The Prime Minister's decision last week to "extend" the introduction of a carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS), until at least 2013, means an adjustment in the workflows of climate change lawyers but certainly no shortage of work.
Mallesons Stephen Jaques has officially joined Australia's rapidly growing list of Fair Trade accredited workplaces.
A groups of wannabe gangster rappers from Mallesons - otherwise known as the 2009/10 summer clerks - have burst onto the Youtube music scene with their own special version of Coolio's "Gangsters Paradise".
Top law firms in Australia appear confident they will retain their market positions in the legal segment, despite yesterday's announcement that Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy will soon be competing for the same work.
Allen & Overy (A&O) will be a welcome addition to the Australian pool of legal service providers, said the Chief Executive Partner of Mallesons Stephen Jaques (Mallesons) today.
The Government is proposing reforms to ACCC powers, but some lawyers argue the watchdog already has adequate teeth and new changes might only stifle M&A approval
Lawyers say that although proposed changes to the investigative and punitive powers of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) do not appear to represent substantive changes to the law governing market misconduct, they do form part of a rising tide of regulation.
M&A partner Tim Bednall will be the next chairman of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, the firm announced today, following a recent decision from the Mallesons board.
Christmas just got a little better for Mallesons staff this week, with the firm confirming with Lawyers Weekly today that all staff have received a bonus for their contributions throughout the year.
The evidence at this point is anecdotal, but Lawyers Weekly has noted an increase in major deals coming across the desk this week. Capital raisings are going gangbusters, with Mallesons, Minter Ellison, Freehills and Corrs all scoring seats on the table at major rights issues.
The role that lawyers with entrepreneurial skills have to play in legal practice has been debated by leaders in the industry who spoke to Lawyers Weekly last week.
The latest rounds of partner promotions announced this week reveal that some law firms have remained defiant against global trends of a weakening M&A market, with partner promotions in the M&A space still trickling in.
The Federal Government's plan to link its renewable energy target legislation to the emissions trading scheme has been met by mixed responses from legal experts who spoke to Lawyers Weekly.
