A well-known Sydney firm has announced it will soon expand into Melbourne with a new three-lawyer office, where it will target banking and finance work.
The firm, Sydney-based Kemp Strang, said it would open the wholly-owned office "in coming months" to service clients based in Melbourne and Victoria.
To springboard its offering, the firm has raided
Norton Rose Fulbright for one special counsel, and hired two of the firm's former senior lawyers.
Kemp Strang has revealed Norton Rose banking and finance special counsel Andrew Bretherton will join its Melbourne office following the conclusion of his contract. Former Norton Rose restructuring and insolvency partner Andrew Bruce and restructuring and insolvency special counsel Emma-Jane Stevens will also join Kemp Strang's new office.
A Norton Rose Fulbright spokesman said the firm would continue to attract high quality lawyers, and banking and finance remained a core focus.
"The banking and finance team, led by Australian head of banking and finance Alison Deitz, remains a core focus for Norton Rose Fulbright and continues to boast some of the best legal talent in the country.”
Kemp Strang formerly serviced the Melbourne market via the Kennedy Strang Legal Group, which made a decision to dissolve last year due to member firms wishing to pursue seperate growth strategies.
Kemp Strang managing partner Michael Joseph said the move was in line with the firm's aim of servicing Melbourne clients with its own lawyers.
"It also forms an integral part of our growth plans, and in this regard, I expect to make further announcements as we progress our options in other Australian centres," Joseph said.
Russell Kennedy was formerly the Melbourne arm of The Kennedy Strang Legal Group.
