Login
Powered by
MOMENTUM
MEDIA
Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
National BigLaw firm Clayton Utz has promoted two senior lawyers to the partnership, one of whom will relocate to Darwin to boost the firm’s Northern Territory practice.
Clayton Utz has bolstered its public sector and workplace relations practices with the promotion of two partners: Elizabeth Forbes and Cynthia Elachi, both formerly special counsel.
Both originally based in the firm’s Sydney office, Elachi will continue to be based in Sydney, while Forbes will shortly relocate to Darwin to boost the firm’s capabilities in the state.
Clayton Utz chief executive partner Emma Covacevich said the promotions reflected shifting client needs and would bolster the firm’s workplace relations and public sector offerings.
“Liz and Cynthia have extensive experience in their respective legal fields, both having advised clients in the private and public sector. I’m pleased to welcome both outstanding lawyers to our partnership,” she said.
The news comes after the addition of a banking and finance partner from Baker McKenzie last month, the firm’s appointment of the former banking and capital markets lead at EY as a new partner in February, as well as the addition of a real estate partner from Ashurst in January and the promotion of eight of its lawyers to its partnership at the beginning of December last year.
Forbes joined Clayton Utz in 2018 and has extensive experience advising state and Commonwealth governments and private sector clients. She has significant technical expertise in government practice and has also worked on a significant number of high-profile inquiries, coronial inquests and royal commissions.
“Liz has had a career that’s included more than a decade working in-house for the Australian Federal Police, giving her a deep understanding of the legal needs of public sector organisations. Both government and private sector organisations benefit from her strategic focus, technical skills and pragmatic approach,” Covacevich said.
“With her relocation to Darwin, Liz’s expertise will strengthen our offering in the Northern Territory, which is undergoing a period of incredible development and is set to be a growing contributor to Australia’s economy.”
Elachi specialises in employment law, litigation and workplace investigations and has been a lawyer at Clayton Utz since 2005. She has conducted investigations for a number of high-profile clients in the telecommunications, IT, media and education sectors.
“Cynthia has a wealth of experience in employment law, having practised for more than 20 years in the field, advising on complex workplace issues and conducting major workplace investigations. Her expert counsel will be increasingly important for clients navigating the changing employment law landscape and grappling with underpayment issues and increased regulatory compliance,” Covacevich said.
“Cynthia’s expertise is highly sought after by clients across industries and her promotion to partner is not only a reflection of her dedication and experience, but is driven by a growing need for workplace relations legal advice.”
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
Get breaking news
Lauren Croft
