Corrs brands itself a globally connected firm

The head of Corrs Chambers Westgarth claims mergers are not the only path to becoming global as the firm creates eight new international roles.

Leanne Mezrani • 05 May 2015 • NewLaw

Yesterday (4 May) Corrs announced new chair and co-chair positions for its international business groups.

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The new appointees are Clare Corke (Africa), Stephen Stern (Europe), Alan Churley and David Yates (Middle East), James Whittaker (North America), Christian Owen (South America) and Phil Catania and Rod Dann (UK).

These partners will sit alongside chairs for China, India, Japan, Korea and South-East Asia.

Corrs CEO John Denton (pictured) told Lawyers Weekly the international network of 45 firms is taking market share from global competitors.

“Globalisation in the contemporary world is about connectedness [and] we aim to be the most globally connected law firm based in Australia,” Mr Denton said.

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Rather than launching overseas offices or merging with a global firm, Corrs’ strategy has been to establish relationships with foreign firms.

This approach has increased the proportion of international clients in Corrs’ corporate client base to almost 40 per cent, according to Mr Denton.

He credited inbound referrals and growing brand awareness in North America, the UK and Europe, the Middle East and Asia for the growth.

He also highlighted the firm’s secondment and scholarship programs with overseas clients.

Corrs has over 20 international secondment opportunities in more than 15 countries, with the aim of 30 by the end of the year.

A different tack

Corrs has remained staunchly independent as its national rivals, such as Mallesons and Middletons, tied the knot with global firms.

Mr Denton said Corrs has no plans to change its strategy: “[There is] absolutely no global merger on the cards.”

He added that Corrs’ approach to globalising its practice ensures the firm is “uncompromised by the dictates of head office in another country”.

“We can assure our clients that they are not at the mercy of the conflict decisions, resource and team allocations common in other global models.”

Mr Denton added that Corrs retains control of the work being performed by its foreign partners, with Australian lawyers acting as project managers for matters conducted overseas.

Note: This article originally stated that Corrs has about 30 lawyers on secondment in more than 15 countries. Corrs has clarified it has over 20 international secondment opportunities in more than 15 countries, with the aim of 30 by the end of the year.

Apple Core Thursday, 07 May 2015

It's really up to the journo to separate the "spin" from the facts, methinks. Can't blame Corrs for being creative.

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Dubious Wednesday, 06 May 2015

That is unusual. Probably marketing over-reach.In any event, and no matter what the perceived negatives of a global approach are, it's clearly not right to say that a domestic firm having a referrals programme, "secondment opportunities" and "intentional business groups" equates to the knowledge and client connections having actual global offices and expertise on the ground does.Corrs would be much better of continuing to market itself as a leading domestic firm with global connections rather than trying to pretend it is something it is not. This comes across as a bit desperate.

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Hmmmm Wednesday, 06 May 2015

It does now - it originally stated that Corrs had 30 lawyers on secondment in more than 15 countries. It now says that the firm has 20 international secondment opportunities - has LW asked Corrs how many lawyers it actually has overseas on secondment at the moment?

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Name Tuesday, 05 May 2015

Guys, you're concentrating on the wrong thing? Who cares about international secondments when it's so easy to get a job overseas right now. The bigger point in this is Corrs is calling themselves international without going international. Gee wonder why none of the other firms thought of that!

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Dubious Tuesday, 05 May 2015

@Guest, exactly. Forget about the mathematics of the numbers, all this appears to be saying is that such secondments are possible, not that they actually have lawyers seconded

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Guest Tuesday, 05 May 2015

what is a secondment "opportunity" ?

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legalobserver79 Tuesday, 05 May 2015

Understand your point but mathematics indicates that if it is "more than 15 countries", ie at least 16, then there must be a minimum of 16 overseas and a maximum of 14 in Australia (unless they have a secondee who travels through 5 countries in Asia and they are counting that as 5 countries covered by secondment!).

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Hmmmm Tuesday, 05 May 2015

'30 lawyers on secondment in more than 15 countries'...in this context suggests that Corrs has a large number of lawyers on secondment overseas. If the reality is that all but a small handful of those lawyers are on secondment in Australia (as one of the '15 countries'), then this is a little misleading.

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