Another international firm elects female chair

Another international firm elects female chair
Eversheds Sutherland (International) has appointed Pamela Thompson as its chair for a four-year term.

Thompson is the head of the international firm’s Financial Services team with a focus on investment fund structuring & establishment and financial services regulatory work. She will take up her role on 1st May 2018 succeeding Paul Smith who did not stand for re-election.

The election follows the recently announced elevation of Tricia Hobson, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Australian chair to the Global Chair role; and the election of Julie H. Jones to become the first female to chair Ropes & Gray from 2020.

Allens and DibbsBarker elected female chairs a year ago.

Two high profile hires for MinterEllison
The international tax, and construction & property teams at MinterEllison have been given a boost with two high profile lateral hires.

International tax expert and economist Craig Silverwood joins from EY as a corporate tax partner in the Melbourne office adding significant value chain analysis, business function analysis and transfer pricing and international tax capability

Meanwhile, the construction & property team is strengthened by the addition of Ben Fuller as a partner in Canberra. He joins from Henry Davis York with a strong track record of working with both private sector and government clients.

Mary Lyras, MinterEllison’s chief talent officer says the external hires are a key strategy for broadening the firm’s capabilities in response to client demands.

“In addition to the specific expertise they bring, these two appointments are also about extending the firm’s offer of delivering innovative multi-disciplinary client solutions,” she says.

International firm advises on Australia’s first offshore wind farm
White & Case has advised Offshore Energy Pty Ltd. on its formal partnership with a Danish infrastructure fund for the development of Australia’s first offshore wind project.

The ‘Star of South’ wind farm will be located in the Bass Strait between 10km and 25km off the coast of Victoria's Gippsland region

The Melbourne-based White & Case team was led by partners Andrew Clark, Adeline Pang and Tim Power and included associate Bryce Paterson.