First with legal news

Breaking news

Kirby to debate Scalia

09/02/2010 | Former High Court judge Michael Kirby will go head to head this morning with the American judge dubbed the "Arnold Schwarzenegger of American jurisprudence" in a debate to be moderated by Justice Murray Gleeson.


Clayton Utz partners resign, move to Allen & Overy

08/02/2010 | Clayton Utz confirms that fourteen partners have today tendered their resignations and will join UK firm Allen & Overy, which has announced plans to enter the Australian market. 1 comment


Lawyers winners in Pfizer divestment

08/02/2010 | Commentators say it's the lawyers who are doing well out of the newly announced divestment of Pfizer by Virbac.


Gilbert + Tobin lawyers take to the stage

08/02/2010 | If all the world is a stage, three Gilbert + Tobin lawyers want better lighting.


Can't get no (job) satisfaction

08/02/2010 | High stress, long hours, no news there. But as the interminable burden of lawyering continues to take its toll on individuals, isn't it time the profession changes the way it works? Kate Gibbs writes 1 comment


Expensive Royal Commissions to make way for new level of inquiry

05/02/2010 | Costs associated with expensive Royal Commissions could be reduced by establishing another, alternative tier of public inquiry, Australia's leading law reform agency said yesterday.


Copyright war has only just begun

05/02/2010 | The fight is likely not over for movie studios and other media producers, which are likely to lobby for more legal protection despite a major loss in the Federal Court this week, lawyers now argue.


Clayton Utz makes new hires

05/02/2010 | Clayton Utz has announced the appointment of a trade mark specialist as a special counsel.


Lawyer bemusement and time-billing battles

05/02/2010 | After much furour within the pages of The New Lawyer, Melbourne lawyer David Windsor writes a letter to the Editor on how he determines price structures to suit clients.


Judge stirs judicial system to change

04/02/2010 | One of the country's top judges, NSW Chief Justice James Spigelman, this week used an address at the opening of the state's law term to issue a call to arms for the nation's judicial system. 1 comment

Deals

Lawyers winners in Pfizer divestment

8 February 2010 | Commentators say it's the lawyers who are doing well out of the newly announced divestment of Pfizer by Virbac.


Firms appointed to ANZ Capital deal

3 February 2010 | Thomson Playford Cutlers advised ANZ Capital and its investee company, software systems developer Neller Pty Ltd, in its transaction with global HR software provider NorthgateArinso.

Law firms

Clayton Utz partners resign, move to Allen & Overy

8 February 2010 | Clayton Utz confirms that fourteen partners have today tendered their resignations and will join UK firm Allen & Overy, which has announced plans to enter the Australian market.


Gilbert + Tobin lawyers take to the stage

8 February 2010 | If all the world is a stage, three Gilbert + Tobin lawyers want better lighting.

Appointments

Clayton Utz makes new hires

5 February 2010 | Clayton Utz has announced the appointment of a trade mark specialist as a special counsel.


Brisbane firm hires from local competitor

4 February 2010 | Independent Queensland law firm HopgoodGanim Lawyers has recruited from a Brisbane competitor.

Practice areas

Copenhagen: Success or failure?

27 January 2010 | Regardless of where you stand, most people would agree that the outcome of Copenhagen did not live up to expectations, writes Elisa de Wit, head of climate change at Norton Rose Australia.


Clients won't budge on climate change

15 December 2009 | Large Australian organisations are becoming more aware of the business risks around climate change but have held back taking action in the current fog of legislative uncertainty, a new survey reveals.

Government & Regulation

Expensive Royal Commissions to make way for new level of inquiry

5 February 2010 | Costs associated with expensive Royal Commissions could be reduced by establishing another, alternative tier of public inquiry, Australia's leading law reform agency said yesterday.


Lawyers applaud family law report

29 January 2010 | The peak body representing Australian lawyers has applauded the federal government's three newly released reports examining the operation of the family law system and law courts.

Comment & Debate

Can't get no (job) satisfaction

8 February 2010 | High stress, long hours, no news there. But as the interminable burden of lawyering continues to take its toll on individuals, isn't it time the profession changes the way it works? Kate Gibbs writes


Lawyer bemusement and time-billing battles

5 February 2010 | After much furour within the pages of The New Lawyer, Melbourne lawyer David Windsor writes a letter to the Editor on how he determines price structures to suit clients.

Bar & Bench

Kirby to debate Scalia

9 February 2010 | Former High Court judge Michael Kirby will go head to head this morning with the American judge dubbed the "Arnold Schwarzenegger of American jurisprudence" in a debate to be moderated by Justice Murray Gleeson.


Copyright war has only just begun

5 February 2010 | The fight is likely not over for movie studios and other media producers, which are likely to lobby for more legal protection despite a major loss in the Federal Court this week, lawyers now argue.

In-house

In-house dissatisfied with ADR results

4 February 2010 | As more companies turn to international arbitration, in-house lawyers are beginning to complaint that the process can be just as costly and time-consuming as litigation.


Macarthur's counsel hires external lawyers for string of deals

4 February 2010 | Macarthur Coal's in-house legal department has been busy. It's now hired external counsel to assist it with a string of deals.

Practice management

Letter to the Editor: In defense of effective billing

29 January 2010 | If firms did a better job at conveying and value, clients would not give a boot about time spent. John Chisholm writes.


How many lawyers does it take?

29 January 2010 | A large law associate recently divulged that, on being on a call with a client, a partner requested they not say a word.

Suppliers

Lawyers issue bushfire warning

11 January 2010 | Sending a stark reminder of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, the state's legal profession has issued an unusual warning to those in fire danger areas.


Lawyers call for legal aid overhaul

11 December 2009 | Australia's various legal professional bodies have today released a report calling for a major overhaul of federal and state legal aid funding.

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