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LW 2011 Law Awards Finalists: Managing Partner of the Year
Lawyers Weekly called for nominations from law firm managing partners and managing directors for the Phoenix Managing Partner of the Year award. Nominees were asked to outline their contribution…
Lawyers Weekly called for nominations from law firm managing partners and managing directors for the Phoenix Managing Partner of the Year award. Nominees were asked to outline their contribution to their firm, significant achievements as well as examples of how their leadership has shaped the culture, strategy and growth of their firm.
Criteria
- Brief CV of nominee, including significant accomplishments during their time with the organisation;
- An outline of the relevant strategies that have contributed to the growth of the law firm during the last 12 months and/or overcoming significant challenges;
- Examples of leadership and innovation in managing staff as well as any clear examples of how the nominee has shaped the culture of the law firm and wellbeing of staff.
Not surprisingly, the Phoenix Managing Partner of the Year category attracted some impressive talent.
As the Australian legal industry undergoes significant change amid a globalising market in 2011, managing partners have had to reassess their strategies and innovate to keep their firm in the game.
| John Denton, partner & chief executive officer, Corrs Chambers Westgarth Corrs Chambers Westgarth chief executive officer John Denton, a highly commended finalist in last year's Managing Partner of the Year category, has again made the cut in 2011. Appointing an unprecedented number of lawyers to the firm's partnership in July this year, Denton has well and truly implemented his strategy to grow the firm by at least a third by 2015.
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| Joseph DeRuvo, managing partner, Fox Tucker Lawyers Joe DeRuvo, managing partner of Fox Tucker Lawyers, has also had an exciting year. The former managing partner of DLA Phillips Fox Adelaide, DeRuvo made the strategic decision to financially separate from the national firm in 2009 and, in 2010, instigated the merger with Rankine Tucker & Associates to create Fox Tucker Lawyers, which was launched in September 2010.
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| Andrew Grech, managing director, Slater & Gordon In the last 12 months, Slater & Gordon's managing director Andrew Grech has overseen the acquisition of both Keddies and Trilby Misso - the two largest acquisitions the company has undertaken to date, helping it increase its share of the personal injury market from between 12 and 15 per cent to almost 25 per cent nationwide.
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| David Kearney, managing partner, Wotton & Kearney Insurance Lawyers Managing partner and co-founder of Wotton + Kearney, David Kearney, made the finalist cut this year after a strong 12 months for the firm. In 2010 the insurance firm attracted a number of lawyers from top-tier firms both in Australia and overseas, amounting to a 50 per cent increase in headcount. A former partner of DLA Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper), Kearney has seen the firm grow from a team of just six lawyers to 65 in 2011.
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| Robert Milliner, chief executive partner, Mallesons Stephen Jaques This year will be a significant one for finalist Robert Milliner, the chief executive partner of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, who will step down as the firm's head at the end of 2011 after more than seven years at the helm. In his final 12 months, Milliner has implemented the firm's strategy for 2015, which includes the pursuit of the firm's regional and international aspirations.
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| Mark Pistilli, office managing partner Sydney, Clifford Chance Managing partner of Clifford Chance's Sydney office, Mark Pistilli played a pivotal role in the merger of the firm he founded - Chang, Pistilli & Simmons (CP&S) - with Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe and Clifford Chance on 1 May, finally putting an end to ongoing speculation of Clifford Chance's arrival in Australia. Impressively, the former managing partner of Atanaskovic Hartnell saw CP&S treble in size under his guidance.
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| The 2011 Managing Partner of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Phoenix. |
For full details of the finalists in each category, click on the links below.
• Dolman In-House Lawyer or Team Award
• Phoenix Managing Partner of the Year
• Project Futures Dealmaker of the Year
• The College of Law Law Student of the Year
• Toll Practice Manager of the Year
• Philips Box-Breaker of the Year
• LexisNexis Talent Manager of the Year
Stay tuned to find out who the winners are - to be announced at a cocktail party held at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, August 4, 2011.
