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An exclusive analysis by Lawyers Weekly of more than 1,000 promotions across Australia’s legal profession reveals the practice areas in demand, the roles attracting investment, and the trends shaping the profession’s leadership pipeline.
Marking a significant period of talent elevation across the Australian legal profession, more than 1,000 lawyers across over 40 medium and large firms secured promotions between 1 June and 29 July.
Senior associate appointments accounted for the largest proportion of movement, representing roughly four in 10 promotions. Special counsel promotions made up about 17 per cent of the total elevations, while only 10 per cent made it to the partnership ranks.
The numbers also tell a story of momentum for women, having dominated at the partner level and representing a strong share of the new special counsel, senior associates, and associates.
Of the 42 lawyers promoted at Slater and Gordon Lawyers, around 60 per cent were women. Speaking to Lawyers Weekly, chief executive Dina Tutungi said the firm promotes people who “consistently deliver outcomes that change lives for clients and who show the craft, compassion, courage and grit our work demands”.
Tutungi added that the gender balance in the 2026 promotion round reflects the firm’s long-term investment in women advocates and leaders and in building a leadership pipeline of “talented people from different backgrounds, not a one-off program”.
“This year, many of the people meeting that bar are women. That reflects the reality of our firm and our history.
“Slater and Gordon was one of the first law firms to have a female partner. Women have long been deeply embedded in our complex and demanding practice areas, from class actions and abuse law to personal injury and public liability,” Tutungi said.
“They are leading teams, shaping new ways of working that open up access to justice for more people, and standing up for clients at their hardest moments.”
Tutungi said diversity is a strategic driver of its talent, retention and client outcomes, and its ability to attract and keep the best people “rests on the inclusive culture we have built”. Not only are women in senior leadership roles across the organisation, but they are also consistently running major class actions, leading abuse and injury practices, strengthening the business, and mentoring the next generation.
From its inclusion committee and flexible workplace policies, Slater and Gordon Lawyers has created an environment where its diversity is “both a practice and a performance driver”.
“My own story reflects that,” Tutungi said.
“I started at Slater and Gordon 25 years ago as a paralegal. I have worked across practice areas and teams, and helped to develop new services with the aim of opening up access to justice for more people.
“I have juggled family and work, and returned from parental leave into moments of real pressure. That experience gives me a real-world view of what progression looks like for women in law, and it informs how we best support our people.”
The majority of the 1,000 promotions analysed by Lawyers Weekly were made across a firm’s corporate, commercial and finance-related practices, which included mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and insolvency, and taxation.
This was followed by disputes and litigation – including compensation, professional liability and medical negligence – and those under the umbrella of property and construction, infrastructure, and real estate.
Around 50 lawyers were promoted into practice areas for public sector and government, and almost the same number were elevated within employment-related law. There were around 20 that worked with private clients, and approximately 13 for technology and AI.
Hall & Wilcox promoted 72 lawyers, including three to partner and 19 special counsel, across its Australian offices. Speaking to Lawyers Weekly, chief executive partner Graydon Dowd said the investment is driven by where the firm sees “sustained client demand and long-term opportunities to build capability”, rather than typical market trends.
Opting for “choosing our own path”, Dowd said they have strengthened areas, including corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, employment and government, “through a combination of strategic lateral appointments and internal promotions”.
On the skills and expertise the firm looks out for, Dowd said that while technical knowledge is “essential”, it is “only one part of the equation”.
“We look for people who build trusted client relationships, exercise sound commercial judgement, and genuinely partner with clients to solve complex problems,” Dowd told Lawyers Weekly.
“We also value people who are collaborative, curious and committed to continually improving how we work, whether that’s embracing technology, developing others or finding more innovative ways to deliver legal services. Those qualities are increasingly important as we continue to grow and reflect the kind of leadership we want to build across the firm.”
Maddocks, which promoted 96 this year – including three partners – said there has been an uptick in several areas of law, including dispute, restructuring and insolvency; employment; M&A with private equity activity; energy; consumer markets; technology; and government.
“There is healthy competition to attract good talent in these areas of law. We are also very pleased to be able to support the growth and promotion of our staff in these areas,” Shannon Lyndon-Lugg, director of people and culture, told Lawyers Weekly.
“Promotion is one of Maddocks’ most important strategic levers for growth, succession, client service and for our people. Having our talented lawyers promoted rewards our experienced practitioners, deepens our bench strength, safeguards client continuity and sustains the firm’s capacity to deliver as demand increases – especially in key growth areas.”
“For our people and their development, promotion is also a visible, meaningful marker of career progression – recognition that a lawyer’s growth is seen and valued by the firm.”
At Mallesons, where nine lawyers were elevated into the partnership, Renae Lattey said: “This year’s promotions reflect the firm’s ongoing commitment to bringing through the very best talent.”
“Each of these new partners has met the very high bar we have for partnership at Mallesons, and I have no doubt they will make an outsized impact.”
On what skills and expertise Slater and Gordon values, Tutungi said the firm prioritises lawyers with a “deep commitment to their craft” and who “pursue mastery to deliver excellent outcomes”, as well as those who “stand up for and support our clients, and each other”.
“No one comes to Slater and Gordon on a good day – our clients are dealing with serious injury, loss, exploitation or institutional failure,” Tutungi said.
Tutungi said lawyers must also be able to support, share, and collaborate as “one team”.
“Performance matters, and we find financial outcomes and client outcomes are perfectly aligned. I’ve always said, if you put your client first, performance will follow,” Tutungi said.
This analysis followed Lawyers Weekly’s earlier reporting of its Top 25 Attraction Firms survey. In addition to revealing the most sought-after law firms, the survey also recorded how lawyers have felt about their salaries and the priorities within different seniority levels.
Lawyers Weekly has also published Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) pay gap results, revealing which firms have the smallest gaps, those that have improved over the last three years, and why some continue to fall behind.
