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International firm launches consulting arm
An international law firm has unveiled a new business which it says will offer specialist consulting services to complement its already-existing legal services.
Jerome Doraisamy
Ashurst has launched Ashurst Consulting, which it says will see the firm’s legal and consulting professionals work side by side to position clients for success “by implementing solutions that minimise risk, manage change, and take into account the whole picture of client circumstances to drive improved business performance”.
The new business has been unveiled as clients “increasingly seek holistic solutions that help them comply with the complex regulatory and legal frameworks in which they operate”, the firm said in a statement.
“Introducing consulting capability that sits adjacent to the firm’s top tier legal advice will enable Ashurst to deliver the types of solutions the market is demanding – solutions that operationalise laws and regulations,” it said.
Board Advisory is its first adjacent service – focusing on high-level leadership and governance issues for Ashurst clients. Headed by Joshua Smith, the service offering helps clients to improve and enhance organisational performance and contributes to healthy corporate culture built on ethical conduct.
A second service, Risk Advisory, is to be led by partner Philip Hardy (coming across from Deloitte), with more partners set to join in the coming months. The firm said it will offer services pertaining to regulatory compliance, conduct and risk management, initially targeted at financial services clients.
Speaking about the launch of Ashurst Consulting, global managing partner Paul Jenkins said that establishing the new business reflects the firm’s commitment to “building a high-quality consulting offering”.
“It will strengthen our ability to effectively manage clients’ most critical business challenges, by bringing together the technical expertise and rigour required to create value by meeting a broader spectrum of their needs,” he said.
"We are absolutely delighted to have Phil join us to lead the Risk Advisory practice. Phil is a genuine leader in this field, having built and led high-quality teams over many years. His experience [in] looking after businesses during the GFC and in the aftermath will be an asset to the global firm and our partners, who will be advising our clients through the multitude of effects COVID-19 is having on their businesses."
Mr Hardy added that he was “very pleased” to join Ashurst to lead Risk Advisory.
“The Ashurst offering, which brings together top-quality legal advice with top-quality risk consulting, is differentiated in this market as we are building a prestige risk brand,” he said.
“I look forward to the opportunity to build something distinctive, with the strategic intent of a global law firm behind me.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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