K&L Gates promotes 21
Global law firm K&L Gates has elevated 21 lawyers to more senior roles in Australia, including five to partner, eight to special counsel and eight to senior associate.
K&L Gates has promoted 40 lawyers worldwide to its partnership ranks, across 22 of its offices, including Berlin, Boston, Brisbane, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Doha, Dubai, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Nashville, New York, Newark, Orange County, Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, Research Triangle Park, Seattle, Seoul, Sydney, and Washington, D.C.
The news follows the firm’s adding of three partners from HWL Ebsworth earlier this month and its promotion of 22 lawyers to more senior positions in March of this year.
K&L Gates Australian managing partner Nick Nichola said that the internal promotions “continue a period of significant growth for the firm both globally and in Australia”.
“We have now added eight partners to our Australian offices within a month, across five different practice areas and three offices,” he said.
“They will each be instrumental in broadening our service offering to our Australian and international clients during a crucial time for our clients who are preparing for some economic uncertainty in 2023.”
Mr Nichola spoke with Lawyers Weekly in May about how K&L Gates has evolved during the age of coronavirus and what the future holds for the global firm’s presence in Australia.
“What is particularly pleasing is that of our eight new partners, four are men, and four are women. We want to be a truly diverse firm, and these partner appointments are a large step towards that goal,” he went on.
“On behalf of everyone at K&L Gates, I extend our congratulations to all of our 21 senior legal appointments. It fills us with pride to see so many of our colleagues reach these significant career milestones.”
The firm’s five new partners in Australia are Damiano Castelli, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Simon Leslie, Marian Ngo and Gregory Pieris.
Its newest special counsel are Natasha Augustin Fleming, Julia Baldi, Danielle Corden, Natalie Georgiev, Natalie Hazzard, Philip Murray, Rania Seoud, and Michael Thornell.
And the firm’s new senior associates are Leon Fung, Selin Hasip, Jordan Hurley, Mathika Perera, Wilson Twist, Alex Virgo, Elise Vrijens, and Huei Deen Yeong.
The partner appointments are effective as of 1 January 2023, while the special counsel and senior associate promotions are effective as of 1 March 2023.
The news follows recent BigLaw promotions and appointments, as reported by Lawyers Weekly:
- Wotton + Kearney promotes 29;
- Piper Alderman promotes 4, including 1 to partner;
- Barry. Nilsson. promotes 18;
- Norton Rose Fulbright names Australian as next global chair;
- HSF names new executive partner for Australia and Asia;
- Maurice Blackburn promotes 56;
- Moray & Agnew unveils Jan ’23 promotions;
- Clayton Utz’s new chief executive partner revealed;
- Clayton Utz reveals NY partner promotions;
- Colin Biggers & Paisley promotes 14;
- Baker McKenzie names new Australian managing partner;
- Hall & Wilcox appoints 1st female chair;
- G+T confirms NY promotions; and
- Spruson & Ferguson names new Australian MD.
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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