This Month
Work hard, lunch hard: Life as a lawyer in Madrid
Betty Choi says Spanish lawyers work harder and longer than their corporate compatriots, but “still believe in having proper lunches”.
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PwC leaders at war over tax scandal
PwC’s former general counsel says she repeatedly advised then chief Luke Sayers and the governance board that legal professional privilege was being misused.
Sayers, Seymour round on Burrowes over global conflict
Former chief executives Luke Sayers and Tom Seymour have expressed surprise at Kevin Burrowes’ second role with PwC International. How the day unfolded.
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Sayers, Seymour round on Burrowes’ global role
Kevin Burrowes’ second role with PwC International, worth $1.2 million, was criticised by past CEOs who said it presented conflict issues and did not align with the firm’s values.
Top law firms locked in negotiations for lucrative panel
Corrs, HSF, KWM and MinterEllison are yet to be appointed to the federal government’s legal panel, more than a month after an initial announcement.
July
Rebel Corrs group seeks move to King & Wood Mallesons
Five partners in Corrs’ employment practice are in discussions to shift to rival firms, after some in the group voted against a controversial contract extension.
HSF’s Australian division outpaces global firm
Herbert Smith Freehills’ Australian arm has booked revenue growth of 15 per cent, as profit per equity partner continues to rise.
Consulting downturn shrinks Deloitte revenue by $70m
Deloitte’s revenue suffered a sharp reversal in 2023-24, with revenue in all sectors either flat or shrinking.
KordaMentha makes play for Canberra consulting work
KordaMentha has joined Oliver Wyman in setting up a Canberra office to take advantage of the gap left by the big four.
ASIC hits ASX pump-and-dump crew with criminal charges
The corporate cop has hit the alleged ring leaders of an ASX penny stock pump and dump scheme with criminal charges that could come with millions in fines.
Ex-Allens lawyer sets up Australia’s first prison newspaper
The first edition of About Time was delivered to correctional facilities in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT this month.
Top lawyers ‘name their price’ as competition runs hot
Major law firms are being forced to adapt their partnership structures as high-earning partners test their value on the open market.
Workers’ rights law firm admits to underpaying staff $300,000
Prominent class action firm Slater & Gordon says there are “no excuses” for the underpayment which was due to a decade-long miscalculation of leave entitlements.
What went wrong with KPMG’s legal experiment
Finding top lawyers willing to tolerate relative anonymity and powerlessness in a distant corner of a mammoth multinational proved a challenge for the legal division.
Ashurst partner profits top $2.5m as US challenge looms
Ashurst’s revenue rose by 9 per cent, and partner profits received a handsome boost. But the UK-based firm is looking to the US as American rivals challenge.
Boutique firms prove attractive in big four exodus
Management consultant Sin Yin Long has joined Rennie Advisory, as boutique firms capitalise on instability at the large operators.
KPMG pay growth slows in tough market
Pay rises for this financial year were minimal, with graduate salaries increasing by an average of just 1.5 per cent.
KPMG axes legal division, dozens of jobs to go
KPMG will undertake its second major restructure in a month, bringing a decisive end to its ill-fated legal experiment.
Law Council calls for anti-money laundering carve-outs
The Law Council of Australia says it supports “balanced” reforms, but will argue for significant carve-outs in relation to client legal privilege.
Rapid growth puts pressure on law partnership structures
Almost two-thirds of new legal partners are now on a part-salary arrangement as rapid growth puts pressure on equity allocations.
