Business of Law

Seyfarth Shaw has hired DLA Piper's former head of labor and employment in Australia to join its team in Sydney.

Law firm Hall & Wilcox has promoted three dispute specialists to partner as part of a bumper crop of solicitors to advance this year. 

A judge has rejected Hall & Wilcox's bid to narrow the terms of the court's inquiry into whether legal advice it provided to defunct construction group Hastie was reasonable, before a costs assessor weighs in on the firm's $18.6 million legal bill. 

HopgoodGanim has hired a lawyer from Corrs Chambers to join its real estate and development team as a special counsel in Brisbane. 

Clayton Utz has promoted five senior lawyers to its partnership, including a class actions specialist, the smallest round of promotions this year among the Big Six. 

Law firm Allens has told a parliamentary committee that a court should weigh in on whether parliament's powers to compel information overrode KPMG's legal privilege, as the auditor resists orders to produce documents.

MinterEllison has elevated seven lawyers to its partnership, including four disputes specialists, as the firm anticipates litigation over major projects and AI-related class actions.

Hall & Wilcox has hired a property and disputes lawyer and his team of three to build out its offering in Adelaide. 

The Law Council says asserting legal professional privilege is not "inherently scandalous", ahead of a parliamentary hearing on KPMG's sharing ofclient information, at which law firms Allens and Ashurst are expected to stay mum.

Western Australia's government is set to introduce legislation for the establishment of an independent watchdog to deal with complaints about the state's judges and magistrates.