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HopgoodGanim to merge with Perth-based boutique
Australian mid-tier law firm HopgoodGanim is set to merge with a boutique family and estates law firm, Butlers Lawyers and Notaries, as it moves to expand its offering in the west.
Jerome Doraisamy
HopgoodGanim Lawyers – which has more than 40 partners and over 300 staff operating nationally and internationally (with an Asian focus), from its two locations in Brisbane and Perth – has moved to bolster its presence in Western Australia by merging with Butlers Lawyers and Notaries, a boutique family and estates law firm in Perth.
The merger will, HopgoodGanim proclaimed, further strengthen its presence advising high-net-worth private clients, family offices and significant family-owned and privately held enterprises, with its strengthened private clients offering sitting alongside its resources, corporate, real estate and commercial litigation practices.
The news follows HopgoodGanim’s promotion of 30 professionals, including five to its partnership, in late June, its addition of a disputes partner in April this year, following the firm’s hiring of a special counsel and two senior associates in February, the appointment of an energy and resources partner in December, and the naming of a new head of risk and compliance in November.
It also follows fellow BigLaw firm Thomson Geer’s merger with Perth-based boutique Tottle Partners (bringing with it four partners and a team of 19) back in May.
HopgoodGanim managing partner Luke Mountford said he looks forward to welcoming the Butlers team and expanding the firm’s Western Australia footprint.
“Though we currently have a sizeable team in Perth, we have been seeking to expand our private client practice in the west for many years. The merger with Butlers will allow us to achieve this and offer our full suite of legal expertise on both east and west coasts,” he said.
“We have a strong management team experienced in merging and growing our firm across our two key markets in Brisbane and Perth, and our practice areas. We look forward to formally welcoming and integrating the Butlers team and clients later this year.”
Mountford went on to note that Butler – who will help ensure the continuation of service for Butlers’ current clients, aiding the merger transition and integrating them into HopgoodGanim – has “earned his place” in the merged firm as a consultant, recognising his five decades of service.
“He is a well-respected member of the legal profession in Western Australia, and for him, this merger is an opportunity to ensure his legacy and firm continue to grow under HopgoodGanim’s capable management,” Mountford said.
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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