Clyde & Co’s Australian presence has grown with the opening today in Brisbane of a fourth Australian office, with the lateral hire of three partners from Australian firm Sparke Helmore. The firm is looking to hire a further 20 lawyers in Brisbane this year which will boost the firm’s staff in Australia to over 100.
The team comprising Matthew Pokarier, Jacinta Long and Maxine Tills will focus on all classes of insurance (particularly professional, directors and officers’, product and general liability) as well as commercial litigation – with significant experience across the insurance, accounting, financial services, engineering, construction and corporate sectors.
Clyde & Co Australia managing partner John Edmond said: “Our opening in Brisbane sees the achievement of our Australian strategy of a four-office national spread. I expect this will be of interest to our infrastructure, energy, natural resources and insurance sector clients in particular. We are open for business in Brisbane as of now. As always, we have invested significant time in selecting the right team to join our firm and are very happy to have Matthew, Jacinta and Maxine on board. Their specialist practices not only complement, but also buttress, our existing practice in Queensland. As we advance our core sector expansion in Australia, we also have hiring plans across several offices in the infrastructure, transportation and international trade spaces.”
Matthew Pokarier, who will lead the firm’s Brisbane practice, said: “Since its entry into the Australian market, we have been aware of Clyde & Co and have stayed abreast of its subsequent development path. In coming to the decision to join Clyde & Co, we were particularly attracted by its global, sector-focused strategy. There is a growing interest in the Queensland market for international legal services. With Clyde & Co, we will be able to deliver locally-focused and nuanced advice and representation but with the capabilities and resources of a global firm. We anticipate that our clients will continue to receive excellent service with the enhanced benefit of our drawing from a fully integrated, national and international firm which has both litigation and insurance at its core.”
Clyde & Co launched in Australia in October 2012 with offices in Sydney and Perth with the acquisition of a specialist insurance team from Australian firm Allens. In September 2013, the firm opened a Melbourne office, and added infrastructure, transportation and international trade expertise with the hire of Beth Cubitt from King & Wood Mallesons, Glen Warwick from Norton Rose and Maurice Thompson from HWL Ebsworth. The firm also relocated David McElveney, head of Clyde & Co’s construction practice in Abu Dhabi, to head Clyde & Co’s construction practice in Australia.
The Brisbane office is Clyde & Co’s 40th international network office.
Source: www.clydeco.com
