Veteran commercial litigator named Clayton Utz board chair

Clayton Utz has named Ross McInnes as its new board chair executive effective 1 July.

He takes on the new role following the departure of Karen O’Flynn, who was recently appointed as group general counsel and group executive legal and group secretariat of Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

McInnes has been a partner with Clayton Utz for over a decade and was appointed as a director of the board in January. He is a commercial litigator known for handling highly complex and sensitive disputes and regulatory matters for clients in the financial services sector.

Clayton Utz CEP Emma Covacevich praised the appointment of McInnes and said that his tenure enables him to effectively understand the firm’s “values and spirit of enterprise”. She explained that McInnes’ wise counsel would “help steer the board, and through it the firm, through challenging market conditions”.

Covacevich also thanked O’Flynn for her contribution to the firm.

"Karen leaves Clayton Utz with our gratitude and admiration. Although she will be greatly missed, we know she will excel in her new role, which reflects the high respect in which she is held throughout the legal profession and amongst her clients”, Covacevich said.