Two Australian Law Firms to Merge with Clifford Chance
The British-based law firm Clifford Chance is venturing into Australia through a merger with two law firms there.
Clifford Chance will gain 14 partners in Australia through mergers with Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe in Perth and Chang Pistilli & Simmons in Sydney, according to the Australian, Legal Week and the Lawyer.
Peter Charlton, Asia regional managing partner for Clifford Chance, told the Australian that the law firm had been “flirting with Australia” for about a decade. Clifford Chance decided to move now, he said, because of the booming resources sector in Western Australia and big demand from Asia.
Energy and resources are driving mergers and acquisitions in a Western Australian market that is nearly as active as Britain’s, he said.
Prior Australia coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “DLA Piper to Become World’s Largest Law Firm with Australian Merger”
ABAJournal.com: “Major London-Based Law Firms Look to Australia for New Global Base”
