Australian law firm makes ‘game changing’ tech acquisition

Australian law firm makes ‘game changing’ tech acquisition
MinterEllison has acquired ITNewcom, a leading technology advisory, relationship optimisation, and benchmarking firms in Asia Pacific.

The Australian law firm says the boutique tech consulting firm complements its existing technology legal offering and culture, and will enable it to offer industry-leading integrated solutions.

“We believe this transaction is both a game-changing and a sector-changing move for a top tier firm such as ours. It is a decisive step in the implementation of our firm's 2020 strategy,” said MinterEllison’s chief executive Tony Harrington.

Andrew Cunningham, MinterEllison’s Innovation Leader and new leader of the firm's Consulting Solutions practice, added that clients would now have the option of an end-to-end multi-disciplinary solution to achieve their desired outcomes in complex technology transactions – with reduced risk, increased efficiency and simplified execution.

The two firms plan a ‘one team’ culture with the ITNewcom business forming part of the newly-launched MinterEllison Technology Consulting practice.

An ITNewcom Synergy Leadership Group will be established comprising ITNewcom CEO Brendan Walsh together with Anthony Lloyd (who leads the MinterEllison Technology practice), cyber security expert Paul Kallenbach, and strategic procurement and IT project specialist Amanda Story.

US law firm mergers set for record year
Mergers and acquisitions among law firms in the US continue to escalate and are expected to set a record this year.

Alman Weil MergerLine says there have been 52 combinations in the first half of 2017, 24 of them in the past three months, beating the mid-year peak of 48 in 2015 and 2016.

Cross-border law firm mergers are also set to see a record-breaking year.

“The chief driver of combinations is the battle for market share that’s being waged in response to flat or decreasing demand for law firm services, and we don’t expect that to change any time soon,” says Altman Weil principal Eric Seeger. “Law firms of all sizes are vying to acquire new clients, expand into new markets, and upgrade their brands through quality combinations. Many of the largest US firms are now routinely looking outside the domestic market for those opportunities.”

The largest deal announced so far this year is the combination of Womble Carlyle and Bond Dickinson creating a transatlantic firm with more than 1000 lawyers later this year.

Other key tie-ups include Norton Rose Fulbright’s planned merger with Henry David York in Australia.

Lawyer creates Brexit – the musical!
An Antitrust & Competition Partner at international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner has created a musical based on the turbulent story of Brexit!

Chris Bryant is a keen fan of musical theatre and has penned 20 original songs for the show, which will be performed as part of the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.

As well as catchy show tunes, the performance tells the behind the scenes tale of the political gameplay of Brexit and features key figures including UK PM Theresa May and the ‘hero’ of the piece Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary.

The firm has been very supportive of Chris, who DJ’s at its Christmas Party, and he says he says penning the musical seemed obvious:

“I have been advising clients on the issues surrounding Brexit for the last two years and writing songs for most of my life. It seemed obvious to put the two things together to pen a musical about Brexit. With the characters involved and the events that have occurred since last June, there’s so much fun to be had!”