Allen & Overy has made its first ever Australian partner promotions four years after launching in Australia, in a move the international firm has declared proves its long-term sustainability.
Allen & Overy launched into Australia in early 2010, with a 14-partner raid on
Clayton Utz. Since then, the firm has grown the local partnership to 21, all of whom were laterally hired.
The long four-year wait for Australian-grown lawyers has now ended, with the two promotions bringing local partners up to 23.
Between 2010 and 2013, Allen & Overy made up a total of 63 partners around the world, none of whom were in Australian offices. This included 21 in 2011, 23 in 2012, and 19 last year.
Sydney-based litigation specialist Michael Shepherd and Perth finance and projects lawyer David Christensen are the two first local lawyers to rise to the Magic Circle firm’s partnership.
Senior partner of Allen & Overy’s Australian operations Grant Fuzi says the vertical promotions demonstrate the firm’s desire to establish a sustainable and growing business in Australia.
“Shepherd and Christensen will boost our capacity to service the many opportunities in Asia Pacific markets, including Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia and Korea" Fuzi said.
The two Australian partnership promotions are among 16 at Allen & Overy worldwide this year.
However, Australia's two promotions came in behind Allen & Overy's other global offices. Hong Kong and the UAE offices both managed three partner promotions each, while its London headquarters was able to boost five lawyers from its ranks to partnership.
