The annual Australasian Law Awards were held at The Star Sydney last night with the best firms, in-house legal teams and deals revealed.
Sponsored for the third consecutive year by official partner FTI Consulting, the event was attended by a full house of 676 of Australia’s top legal professionals. Awards were presented in 34 categories covering firms, in-house teams and deals.
Journalist and author Peter Fitzsimons was back in the hot seat as MC for the night. Guests were entertained with a surprise performance by singing waiters act The Three Waiters as well as acoustic band Luke Zanc Trio, who created a unique spin on classic tunes.
Clayton Utz was one of the big firm winners last night, featuring in several winning deals and taking home the JLT Employee Health & Wellbeing Award as well as two individual awards – Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (30 or under) for rising star Thomas Dougherty, and Scarlis Pringle Law Firm Leader of the Year (>200 Employees) for the firm’s chief executive partner, Rob Cutler.
Across the Tasman, Fonterra Co-operative Group’s in-house team proved unstoppable, winning
Russell McVeagh NZ In-house Team of the Year for the third consecutive year. It was IFM Investors that picked up the Clayton Utz Australian In-house Team of the Year, while the prestigious Australian In-house Lawyer of the Year award, sponsored by FTI Consulting, went to Brookfield’s Claire Bibby for the second year in a row for her contribution to the legal profession.
In a year marked by several significant deals, the award for Australian Deal of the Year went to the Acquisition of Asciano by Brookfield and Qube. One of the largest ever takeovers executed in Australia, the deal involved a line-up of the country’s best firms:
Allens, Baker McKenzie,
Bell Gully, Clayton Utz, Gilbert+Tobin,
Herbert Smith Freehills, Jones Day, King & Wood Mallesons and MinterEllison.
Congratulations to all of last night’s award winners. Photos and video coverage from the event will be available next week at
www.auslawawards.com.au and in an upcoming special edition of Australasian Lawyer.
2017 Australasian Law Awards winners:
Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year
Winner: Arrium Group insolvency
Property, Infrastructure and Projects Deal of the Year
Winner: Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing and Investa Property Group
Debt Market Deal of the Year
Winner: SMART ABS Series securitisation
Energy & Resources Deal of the Year
Winner: Merger of Queensland electricity distributors to create Energy Queensland
Equity Market Deal of the Year
Winner: VIVA Energy REIT IPO
M&A Deal of the Year
Winner: Acquisition of Asciano by Brookfield and Qube
International Deal of the Year
Winner: ABI acquisition of SABMiller
Corporate Citizen Firm of the Year
Winner: Salvos Legal
JLT Employee Health and Wellbeing Award
Winner: Clayton Utz
Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year
Winner: Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Highly Commended: Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
AIG Insurance Specialist Firm of the Year
Winner: Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Australasian Lawyer IP Specialist Firm of the Year
Winner: Bird & Bird
FTI Consulting Boutique Firm of the Year
Winner: Nexus Law Group
Resolution Institute Arbitrator of the Year
Winner: Alex Baykitch
Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year
Winner: Stephen Lancken
Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (30 or Under)
Winner: Thomas Dougherty, Clayton Utz
Highly Commended: Holly Sara, Jones Day & Stipe Vuleta, Chamberlains
Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (30 or Under)
Winner: Louise Young – Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
LOD Banking & Financial Services In-house Team of the Year
Winner: National Australia Bank Group Governance & Legal Team
Sparke Helmore Lawyers Insurance In-house Team of the Year
Winner: AIA Australia
Highly Commended: Chubb
Gilbert + Tobin Investment Bank In-house Team of the Year
Winner: Macquarie Capital Legal Team
Russell McVeagh NZ In-house Team of the Year
Winner: Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited
FTI Consulting Australian In-house Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Claire Bibby, Brookfield
NZ Dealmaker of the Year
Winner: John Strowger,
Chapman Tripp
Highly Commended: Silvana Schenone,
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Scarlis Pringle Australian Dealmaker of the Year
Winner: Philippa Stone, Herbert Smith Freehills
NZ Deal Firm of the Year
Winner: Chapman Tripp
Australian Deal Team of the Year
Winner: Allens - Mergers and Acquisitions
Law Firm Leader of the Year (≤200 employees)
Winner: Sandra Gibson, LOD - Lawyers On Demand
Scarlis Pringle Law Firm Leader of the Year (>200 employees)
Rob Cutler, Clayton Utz
Clayton Utz Australian In-house Team of the Year
Winner: IFM Investors Australian legal team
Australian Deal of the Year
Acquisition of Asciano by Brookfield and Qube
State /Regional Firm of the Year
Harwood Andrews
Australian Law Firm of the Year (1 - 100 Lawyers)
Salvos Legal
GlobalX Australian Law Firm of the Year (101 - 500 Lawyers)
Mills Oakley
FTI Consulting Law Firm of the Year (>500 employees)
Herbert Smith Freehills
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