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Wotton + Kearney adds HWL special counsel as new partner
National law firm Wotton + Kearney has moved to strengthen its workplace practice, appointing a special counsel from BigLaw rival HWL Ebsworth as a new partner in its Melbourne office.
Jerome Doraisamy
Laura Gavan (pictured) has joined W+K as a partner, having come across from HWL Ebsworth, where she served for more than 10 years, including over three and a half years as a special counsel. Prior to this, she worked at Herbert Smith Freehills.
She brings, the BigLaw firm said in a statement, over 11 years of experience in workplace relations and safety law, with a focus on termination of employment, post-employment restraint, and confidential information litigation.
Gavan will head up W+K’s employment law offering in Melbourne.
The hire brings W+K’s total number of partners to 80 and follows a period of significant growth for W+K.
It is set to open its 10th office in Singapore with two partners from global rival Kennedys, as the BigLaw player sets its sights on the south-east Asian city-state as a global insurance hub, and in April, it launched an aviation practice, with a special counsel who came across from Clyde & Co.
Just before Christmas, W+K promoted 34 lawyers to more senior positions, including three to partner, following the 34 it elevated (including four to partner) in June of last year.
Recently, the firm also added a health partner from BigLaw rival Lander & Rogers in October and hired a new special counsel and senior associate for its cyber and technology advisory practice in November.
Last month, W+K chief executive partner David Kearney joined The Lawyers Weekly Show to discuss, among other things, his journey in law, how and why W+K was founded and what its vision was from the start, its push to establish itself as a major insurance player in Australia, why it expanded into Singapore and the opportunities to be realised, as well as various practice areas it has recently moved into with appointments from BigLaw rivals.
Speaking about the hire, W+K head of workplace Chris Mossman said: “We are thrilled to welcome Laura to our firm and our workplace team.
“Laura is a highly regarded practitioner in the employment and industrial relations space, with a wealth of experience and a strong reputation in the market. She will be a valuable addition to our team and will enhance our offering to our clients in this important and evolving area of law.”
Gavan said: “I am excited to join Wotton + Kearney and to be part of a dynamic and growing firm that is focused on delivering exceptional service and outcomes to its clients.
“I look forward to contributing to the firm’s success.”
Lawyers Weekly will host its inaugural Partner Summit on Thursday, 20 June 2024, at The Star, Sydney, at which speakers will address the range of opportunities and challenges for partners and partner equivalents, provide tips on how they can better approach their practice and team management, and propel their businesses towards success. Click here to book your tickets – don’t miss out! For more information, including agenda and speakers, click here.
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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