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Leanne Mezrani
Three special counsel at Minter Ellison have defected to a fast-growing firm set to launch its fifth Australian office.
Three special counsel at Minter Ellison have defected to a fast-growing firm set to launch its fifth Australian office.
Disputes specialists Craig Gough (pictured) and Andrew Logan, along with corporate lawyer Stephanie Rowland, will be founding members of Mills Oakley’s new Perth office.
Mr Gough had been at Minters for over 15 years, while Ms Rowland and Mr Logan joined the national firm in 2008 and 2010, respectively.
Minters’ managing partner in Perth, Adam Handley, thanked the three lawyers for their contribution to the firm.
“Craig, Andrew and Stephanie leave us with our best wishes … we are really very pleased for them as they embark on a new path,” he said.
Lawyers Weekly attempted to contact John Nerurker, the CEO of Mills Oakley, but he was unavailable prior to publication.
Earlier this month, Mr Nerurker told Lawyers Weekly that the firm would add at least four new partners across its new corporate advisory, property, litigation, insurance and family law practices in Perth.
Lawyers Weekly exclusively revealed in January that Kym Kerr, a family law principal at Rockwell Olivier, had been recruited for Mills Oakley’s Perth office.
The new office is expected to open its doors in March.
Growth spurt
Mills Oakley has grown substantially over the past year.
The firm has boosted partner numbers by 25 per cent and its overall legal headcount by 40 per cent.
It has also expanded geographically, opening an office in Canberra last October while preparing to launch its Perth office.
Mr Handley said Minters’ Perth office is also growing steadily.
He claimed the firm had achieved double-digit growth in a number of practice areas, singling out the corporate practice as a particularly strong performer.
This month, Minters in Perth appointed former DLA Piper partner Will Harrison to head up its insurance and corporate risk practice in Western Australia and Asia.
