Norton Rose Fulbright has picked a local principal for its new office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Karo Lelai, the former general counsel to Kumul Minerals, will work in the PNG office, supported by other NRF partners including Sydney corporate partners Anthony Latimer and Steve Johns who have been brought in to provide dedicated regional support.
The firm’s PNG office which opened last week will be working with the global firm’s offices in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
Apart from its work advising on matters in the energy, mining, infrastructure and telecommunications sectors, the firm which has mainly worked in PNG from through its Australian offices, will also focus on financial services over the coming years.
“We have wanted to solidify our presence in PNG for some time now, but it was important to find the right person to represent us on the ground,” said Wayne Spanner, the firm’s managing partner in Australia.
“Karo, with her strong standing in the local market and excellent industry experience, is the perfect choice for us. We are confident that, along with Anthony Latimer’s decades of experience in the region, we have the skills and local understanding in place to be able to offer an innovative and high quality service to clients across a range of sectors,” Spanner said of the new PNG principal.
Lelai said: “I am proud to be joining an elite global law firm as it establishes its first office in PNG. I have known Norton Rose Fulbright and its partners professionally for many years, and observed the high quality work they do for PNG and international clients.”
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