Dentons elects new chair, unrelated to ASIC proceedings

Perth-based partner Doug Stipanicev has been elected Australia chair of Dentons.

As head of the Perth office for several years, project development and banking law expert Stipanicev has been a member of the global firm’s Australia board for the past five years.

“Doug has been with Dentons since 2012 and has played an instrumental role in building our Perth office,” explained Australia CEO Ian Dardis. “And now in his new role as Chair, the partners look forward to seeing Dentons’ continued regional growth under Doug’s leadership.”

His election took place before the ASIC gave notice of proceedings against outgoing chair Steve Healy and others relating to a 2013 decision about broadcast rights for Tennis Australia, which Healy says he will “vigorously defend.” He will return full time to his property practice in Sydney.

Dentons recently announced that Joseph Andrew and Elliott Portnoy have been re-elected to three-year terms as Global Chairman and Global Chief Executive Officer, respectively. They have led the firm together since its formation in March 2013.

Six promoted at White & Case in Asia Pac
White & case has promoted 21 lawyers to counsel and 21 to local partner across 21 offices and 9 practice groups.

The promotions include 8 lawyers in Asia Pacific:

• Mark Montag (Melbourne but relocating to Sydney) - local partner in Global Project Development and Finance.
• Shino Asayama (Tokyo) - counsel in Global Mergers & Acquisitions;
• William Moran (Tokyo) - local partner in Global International Trade;
• Takako Onoki (Tokyo) - counsel in Global Antitrust;
• Tabitha Saw (Singapore) - local partner in Global M&A;
• Jiejin (Victoria) Yu (Hong Kong) - counsel in Global Banking.

The new Asia Pacific partners and counsel add to two previous promotions in 2018: Andrea Reeves, counsel, Global Project Finance and Development, Melbourne; and Andrew Cohn, counsel, Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice, Hong Kong.

End the macho culture of legal profession urges NZBA president
The time has come to end the “macho culture” of the legal profession, the new president of the New Zealand Bar Association says.

Kate Davenport QC is only the second woman to lead the association and says that the way some lawyers communicate is appalling.

“Being nice to each other doesn’t mean we will be doing a poor job as lawyers or somehow not doing the best for our clients,” she said, adding that rude or aggressive behaviour is of no value and damages individuals.

Ms. Davenport says she wants to see greater and faster change of behaviour during her presidency.