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Freehills loses top partner

Freehills has lost one of its most prominent partners, with a 17-year veteran of the firm taking up a position with KPMG.Matthew Stutsel, a partner in the firm's fund management team, said he…

user iconLawyers Weekly 05 September 2011 NewLaw
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Freehills has lost one of its most prominent partners, with a 17-year veteran of the firm taking up a position with KPMG.

Matthew Stutsel, a partner in the firm's fund management team, said he was leaving Freehills on good terms and simply could not turn down KPMG's offer.

"Although I had a wonderful time for 17 years at Freehills, I couldn't refuse the opportunity and challenge to be the national head of the state tax team at KPMG," he said.

"As well as being able to work closely with the corporate tax team here, we help the advisory business in planning and executing transactions and provide specialist support to the audit teams, so there is a large degree of interaction and team work."

Stutsel said the plan is to grow and integrate his new team both nationally and globally, with a focus on local property, infrastructure and financial services, global investors and the growing market for Islamic finance.

While Stutsel has long been recognised as one of the country's top specialist stamp duty lawyers, his recent involvement in the fight against depression in the law has also earned him the respect of his peers.

Last year, Stutsel featured in a short film produced by the Depression and Anxiety Working Group as part of the resilience@law initiative. In the film, he spoke candidly about his battle with depression which had led him to attempt to take his own life.

Speaking to Lawyers Weekly at the time, Stutsel said he wanted to speak out in order to help those who are suffering as he did.

"Knowing how difficult it was for me to speak about it as I was suffering it, and having a couple of friends who are currently suffering from depression, made me want to help," he said.

"I am really hoping that I can help someone before they get to the stage that I got to, and certainly before they get to the stage where they do something they can't turn back on. That's the difference I'd really like to make."

Stutsel told Lawyers Weekly he will continue to work on the resilience@law project in the future.

Comments (2)
  • Avatar
    <p>DVH, thats probably the most pompously written post I have ever seen. One wonders if you should take some lessons in plain english.</p>
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    <p>One wonders whether Mathew and all those like him who are propelled from University to a high powered firm in a marble tower so far removed from the ordinary person or any understanding of the real meaning of law in society have ever considered how their lives might become more meaningful had they given something of themselves to the community from the word go.<br>Hugh McKay speaks of this as creating a "meaningful life".<br>This is a very personal thing. It is not represented by being involved in the pro bono schemes of the big city firms which, whilst well intentioned, are seen by the young people as career advancement opportunities and which, in reality are mere window dressing. This atmosphere of privilege and entitlement which exudes from those among those young people that one has to deal with so often makes you realize that the atmosphere is inevitably a recipe for an ultimate feeling of absolute emptiness and lack of authenticity except among the most narcissistic.<br>DVH</p>
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