The Asia-Pacific region is heavily represented in the 22-strong group
Starting next month, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) will have six more partners in Australia.
In a 22-strong partner-promotion round, the global firm has elevated partners in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The promotions boost the firm’s disputes; corporate; and employment, industrial relations, and safety practices.
Andrew Pike, regional managing partner, Australia, said that he is pleased to welcome the six Australian lawyers to the global partnership.
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“As a firm, we are committed to developing talent, which is why it’s so rewarding to see these lawyers achieve such a significant career milestone,” he said. “They are all leaders in their field; they consistently deliver outstanding work for our clients and positively contribute to the culture of the firm. I wish them all the best as they embark on this new stage of their careers.”
HSF said that it promotes partners based on rigorous criteria, which include client needs, growth sectors, and the firm’s markets.
The firm’s new Australian partners are:
- Kate Cahill – Disputes, Sydney
Cahill is known for her commercial-litigation work, including her extensive experience in large-scale and complex contentious regulatory investigations and enforcement actions, court proceedings, and class actions. She has a particular focus on the banking and financial-services sector. She is an expert in financial crime regulatory issues, including anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism.
- Adam Charles – Corporate, Melbourne
Charles, who has previously worked in the firm’s London and Perth offices, is an expert in public and private M&A, domestic and offshore private funds, ECM, financial distress scenarios, corporate reconstructions and corporate governance matters. He has particular expertise in acting for superannuation/pension funds and private equity sponsors, and advising on transactions in the pharma/biotech sector, the firm said.
- Natalie Gaspar – Employment, industrial relations, and safety, Melbourne
Gaspar works closely with prominent employers in a wide range of industries, including retail and consumer products, transport and infrastructure, manufacturing, banking, aviation, and oil and gas on all aspects of employment and industrial relations law.
- Katherine Gregor – Corporate, Melbourne
An IT and outsourcing expert, Gregor has extensive experience in complex commercial technology transactions for clients across Australia and Southeast Asia. Her work includes software arrangements, acquisition of equipment, hosted services, systems integration, app development and maintenance, strategic procurement, commercial contacting, and business-process and technology-outsourcing projects.
- Melissa Swain-Tonkin – Corporate, Brisbane
Swain-Tonkin has a particular focus on private-equity and cross-border activity between Australia and Japan. She specialises in public and private M&A, particularly in the mining and resources sector. She is also an expert in related contractual, corporate governance, and regulatory matters.
- Kwok Tang – Corporate, Sydney
A TMT specialist, Tang advises on a broad range of transactions that include strategic outsourcings and procurements, network rollouts, broadcasting agreements, and digital and data projects. He also frequently works on cyber-security, data, and privacy matters.
Mark Rigotti, chief executive, congratulated the 22 new partners, describing them as excellent and high-achieving lawyers who will be the future leaders of the firm.
“These new partners are outstanding lawyers and have built deep relationships with clients, developed a wealth of expertise, and demonstrated a real understanding of our firm values and culture. Their diverse skills and experiences will further enhance the strength of our global network,” he said.
The Asia-Pacific region is heavily represented in the 22-strong group. The other new HSF partners are:
ASIA
- Jeremy Birch – Disputes (corporate crime and investigations), Hong Kong
- Natalie Curtis – Disputes (financial services regulatory), Singapore
- Tomas Furlong – Disputes (international arbitration), Singapore
- Matthew Goerke – Corporate (energy and infrastructure), Jakarta*
- Calvin Ho – Corporate (energy and infrastructure), Beijing
- Adelaide Luke – Competition, regulation and trade (competition), Hong Kong
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA
- Marius Boewe – Competition, regulation, and trade (regulation), Düsseldorf
- Tomás Díaz Mielenhausen – Real estate, Madrid
- Laurence Franc-Menget – Disputes (international arbitration), Paris
- Marcel Nuys – Competition, regulation, and trade (competition), Düsseldorf
- Nick Oury – Disputes (construction and engineering), Dubai
- Daniel Vowden – Competition, regulation, and trade (competition), Brussels
UNITED KINGDOM
- Pedro Rufino Carvalho – Finance (energy and infrastructure), London
- John Chetwood – Finance (restructuring and insolvency), London
- Miriam Everett – Corporate (data protection and privacy), London
- Chris Ninan – Disputes (financial services regulatory), London
* Matthew Goerke is currently seconded from Herbert Smith Freehills as an international counsel to the firm’s longstanding associate firm in Indonesia, Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung.